


Defenders of the Unicorns

by WriterGirl128



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: !!!, Angst, Bisexual Lance (Voltron), Chatting & Messaging, Divergent as of season 8, Fluff, Galra Keith (Voltron), Gay Keith (Voltron), Keith (Voltron) is a Mess, Lance (Voltron) is a Mess, M/M, Pansexual Hunk (Voltron), Post-Season/Series 07, Post-War, Shiro (Voltron) is a Mess, but otherwise canon compliant, implied hunay, post-war beach vacation??? sounds legit
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-11-09
Updated: 2019-07-16
Packaged: 2019-08-21 03:42:07
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 25,084
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16568975
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WriterGirl128/pseuds/WriterGirl128
Summary: 3:12AMfancypants: poll - should I start teaching zumba classes, check yes or nopidgeotto: lance what the fcuk(Or another post-war group chat fic)





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> So I’m a slut for a good gc fic and needed something less stressful to play with in between some heavier things I’m writing and here we are

** **fancypants** added **knifeboi** , **hunkofmylife** , **pidgeotto** , and **Space** **Dad(TM)** to the group**

** **fancypants** named the group _Defenders of the Unicorns_ **

 

3:12AM

 **fancypants** : poll - should I start teaching zumba classes, check yes or no

 **pidgeotto** : lance what the fcuk

 **pidgeotto:** it’s 3am go to sleep

 **fancypants** : :// is that a no

 **fancypants:** Ronnie mentioned something to me about how there’s nothing fun anywhere anymore

 **pidgeotto:** yeah, might have something to do with the whole near-apocalyptic intergalactic war thing?? maybe???

 **fancypants:** and I was thinking

 **pidgeotto:** here we go

 **fancypants:** /zumba/

 

 

3:34AM

 **fancypants:** I’ll take ur silence as a resounding yes

 **pidgeotto:** n o

 **pidgeotto** : go to bed

 **fancypants** : but piiiiiidge

 **fancypants** : where is everyone else anyway

 **fancypants** : I need moral support

 **pidgeotto:** what you need is to go to sleep

 **fancypants** : ur one to talk miss “also always awake at 3am”

 **hunkofmylife:** hello

 **hunkofmylife** : here for moral support

 **pidgeotto** : look what you did

 **pidgeotto** : you woke up hunk

 **hunkofmylife** : if you wanna teach zumba then go for it buddy

 **fancypants:** THANK U <3333

 **fancypants** : this is why I love u

 **hunkofmylife** : but you should also sleep bc it’s too early

 **hunkofmylife** : or too late, I guess?

 **fancypants** : traitor

 **hunkofmylife** : :(

 **pidgeotto** : now look what you did

 **fancypants** : NO I’m sorry hunk I didn’t mean it

 **hunkofmylife** : :(

 **fancypants** : ur the best human in existence and u‘d never betray me ever

 **hunkofmylife** : :(

 **fancypants** : what if I promised to go to bed rn and then completed my poll in the morning

 **hunkofmylife** : .....

 **hunkofmylife** : :)

 **pidgeotto** : thank god, goodnight heathen

 **fancypants** : goodnight tiny heathen

 **fancypants** : goodnight hunk, the light of my life

 **fancypants** : the moon to my shine

 **fancypants** : the rap to my rhyme

 **pidgeotto** : janskanskfjahdi I’m not that SMALL

 **hunkofmylife** : goodnight lance!

 **fancypants** : I love u! <33333

 **hunkofmylife** : love you too buddy

 **hunkofmylife** : <3

 

5:33AM

 **knifeboi** : what is happening

 

 

5:34AM

 **mothman** —> **shirt**

 

 **mothman** : Shiro what’s “zumba”

 **mothman** : Shiro help what is it

 

 

6:07AM

 **shirt**  —>  **mothman**

 

 **shirt** : It’s a dance class.

 **mothman** : …dance… class?

 **shirt** : Yeah. A lot of latin music I think?

 **mothman** : …latin music

 **shirt** : Yeah. I think it’s mostly just cardio, but with hips.

 **mothman** : and lance wants to teach one of these classes

 **shirt** : Apparently?

 **mothman** : …

 **shirt** : Keith?

 **mothman** : it’s way too early for this shiro

 **shirt** : Too early for what?

 **mothman** : I’m too gay for this

 **mothman** : I’m gonna go train

 **mothman** : and try not to light myself on fire

 **shirt** : Keith.

 **mothman** : ok bye shiro see you later

 **shirt** : O…kay? See you later kiddo.

 **shirt** : Don’t push yourself too hard, okay? You only just got released from the hospital.

 **mothman** : you’re not my real dad

 **shirt** : No, but that doesn’t mean I can’t care about you.

 **mothman** : gross

 **shirt** : You had a severe concussion and four broken ribs. I think I’m allowed to be a little overprotective.

 **mothman** : it wasn’t that bad, you’re just dramatic

 **shirt** : You were in a coma for eight days.

 **mothman** : shiroooooo

 ** **mothman**** : trainingggggg

 **mothman** : goodbye

 **shirt** : Have fun. I love you!

 **mothman** : ew.

.

.

.

 **mothman** : love you too

 

8:34AM:

 **fancypants** —> _Defenders of the Unicorns_

**fancypants** : @knifeboi is that spanish music I hear coming from the training room

 **knifeboi** : uh. maybe?

 **pidgeotto** : aosjfnlangoaien

 **hunkofmylife** : that’s where it’s coming from!

 **hunkofmylife** : I can hear it from the kitchen

 **knifeboi** : oh sorry

 **fancypants** : keeeeeiiiiith why didn’t you tell us you were gonna go train

 **knifeboi** : everyone else was still asleep

 **fancypants** : uGH excuses

 **fancypants** : I’m coming down

 **knifeboi** : isn’t your leg still broken?

 **fancypants** : iSn’T yOuR lEg StIlL bRoKeN

 **knifeboi** : I… don’t understand

 **fancypants** : shocker

 **Space** **Dad(TM):** Lance, be nice. Also, you shouldn’t be training until you get approval from the Garrison doctors.

 **Space** **Dad(TM):** Which I know, for a fact, you do not have yet.

 **pidgeotto** : oooooh got ‘em

 **hunkofmylife** : you tell him, Shiro

 **fancypants** : he’s playing the music of my people, I have to at least go down and translate all the obscene things they’re allowed to be saying on public radio

 **Space** **Dad(TM):** Do you promise you won’t put strain on your leg? Will you leave your bayard in your room so you’re not tempted?

 **fancypants** : hnnnnng yes I guess

 **fancypants** : ur not my real dad

 **Space** **Dad(TM):** I care about your wellbeing.

 **Space** **Dad(TM):** Also, I agree with Hunk - if teaching zumba classes is something you want to do, I think it’s a great idea.

 **Space** **Dad(TM):** After your leg heals, obviously.

 **fancypants** : ~obviously~

 

8:42AM

 **mothman** —> **shirt**

 

 **mothman** : what do you think you’re doing

 **shirt** : Encouraging Lance to pursue an interest that might help bring him some happy experiences after spending the last two and a half-ish years fighting for his life and putting the entire universe in front of himself?

 **mothman** : …

 **mothman** : okay that’s a good point and kudos to you for that

 **mothman** : but part of me still thinks you’re just doing it to torture me

 **shirt** : Doesn’t sound like something I’d do.

 **shirt** : ;)

 **mothman** : you’re a little shit, shiro

 

** **mothman** change **shirt** ’s name to **shit-o** **

**mothman** : much better

 **shit-o** : Was that really necessary?

 **mothman** : yes

 **mothman** : oh, wait

 

** **mothman** changed **shit-o** ’s name to **one-armed-wonder****

**mothman:** there

 **one-armed-wonder:** But I have two arms again.

 **mothman:** that’s debatable

 **mothman** : it’s like half an arm

 **mothman** : but “one-and-a-half-armed-wonder” doesn’t have the same ring to it

 **one-armed-wonder:** Okay, I see how it is.

 

 

9:07AM

 

** **Space Dad(TM)** changed the group name from _Defenders of the Unicorns_ to _Four Humans and a Half-Alien Miscreant**_

 

 **knifeboi** : okay rude

 **knifeboi** : I’m not a miscreant anymore

 **knifeboi** : I’ve matured

 **Space** **Dad(TM)** : You trained Kosmo to teleport into everyone’s quarters and steal their pillows.

 **knifeboi** : I needed them

 **Space** **Dad(TM)** : You have your own pillows though?

 **knifeboi** : I needed them

 **knifeboi** : don’t ask questions

 **pidgeotto** : it’s too goddamn early for this discourse

 **Space** **Dad(TM)** : Pidge! Language.

 **pidgeotto** : ah, sorry shiro

 **pidgeotto** : it’s too fuckin early for this discourse

 **pidgeotto** : fixed it!

 **Space** **Dad(TM)** : I’m too old for this.

 **knifeboi** : well

 **knifeboi** : technically

 **Space** **Dad(TM)** : Keith don’t you dare.

 **knifeboi** : you’re only six

 **fancypants** : WHAT

 **hunkofmylife** : WHAT

 **fancypants** : keith this is so so important

 **fancypants** : was shiro a leap day baby?

 **knifeboi** : Shiro was a leap day baby

 **fancypants** : how did I not KNOW this

 **fancypants** : pidgeon why aren’t you freaking out about this

 **pidgeotto** : because my brother has been Shiro’s best friend since they were cadets together? I been knew

 **pidgeotto** : keep up

 **knifeboi** : also we’re still not calling him Kosmo

 **fancypants** : says who?

 **knifeboi** : says me

 **knifeboi** : my space wolf, my rules

 **knifeboi** : are you coming down to the training room or not?

 **fancypants** : eoifjnlsfhinpefibpe yes dear, omw

 

9:27AM

 **The Cook** —> **Gremlin**

 

 **The Cook** : *eyes emoji*

 **Gremlin** : *eyes emoji*

 

9:27AM

 **pidgeotto** —> _Four Humans and a Half-Alien Miscreant_

**pidgeotto** : keith, you never responded to Lance’s poll

 **pidgeotto** : zumba classes – yay or nay?

 

 

9:29AM

 **mothman** —> **one-armed-wonder**

 

 **mothman** : shiro what do I say

 **mothman** : he said “yes dear” whta does that mean

 **mothman** : shiro

 **mothman** : what do I say

 

 

9:31AM

 **knifeboi** —> _Four Humans and a Half-Alien Miscreant_

**knifeboi** : yeah, sure

 **knifeboi** : sounds fun?

 **fancypants** : ...u do know what zumba is, right?

 **knifeboi** : yes I know what zumba is

 **fancypants** : what is it

 **knifeboi** : dancing

 **knifeboi** : cardio, but

 **knifeboi** : with hips?

 **fancypants** : ijfp;kenfp;qof

 **knifeboi** : I’m going back to training, bye

 

 

9:40AM

 **The** **Cook** —> **Gremlin** and **Pilates**

 

 **The** **Cook** : hips

 **Gremlin** : h i p s

 **Pilates** : I swear to god

 **Gremlin** : how does it feel to know keith thinks your hips sound fun

 **Pilates** : I hate u

 **Pilates** : goodbye

 

9:40AM

 **one-armed-wonder** —> **mothman**

 

 **one-armed-wonder** : I love you, but you’re a disaster

 **mothman** : I’m aware, thank you


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> one-armed-wonder: You’re telling me you weren’t ever intimidated by her, when you first met her?
> 
> mothman: well, no, I was
> 
> mothman: but I thought that was just the lifetime of trauma kicking in
> 
> one-armed-wonder: Keith.

2:46PM

 **fancypants** —> _Four Humans and a Half-Alien Miscreant_

 

 **fancypants** : @knifeboi full offense, ur mom is terrifying

 **knifeboi** : thank you

 **fancypants** : it wasn’t a compliment

 **Space** **Dad(TM):** Lance…

 **fancypants** : she just!! picked me up by the collar of my jacket and held me at eye-level

 **fancypants** : for like thirty ticks

 **fancypants** : like I weighed nothing to her

 **knifeboi** : yeah she does that sometimes

 **fancypants** : wHY

 **knifeboi** : dunno

 **knifeboi** : I stopped asking questions like that

 **Space** **Dad(TM):** Wait, aren’t you two supposed to be in a meeting right now? To do a hand-off with the Puigians and the Olkari? The medical supplies?

 **fancypants** : …..no

 **knifeboi** : …no

 **pidgeotto** : YES THEY ARE

 **pidgeotto** : get over here you slackers

 **pidgeotto** : the puigian ambassador needs to talk to you both

 **fancypants** : why does he need both of us

 **fancypants** : why not just keith, he’s the black paladin????

 **pidgeotto** : because you’re keith’s social skills

 **pidgeotto** : he’s useless in diplomatic events without you

 **knifeboi** : excuse me?

 **pidgeotto** : did I stutter

 **pidgeotto** : get over here

 **knifeboi** : ugh

 **fancypants** : uGH

 **fancypants** : we’ll be there in a sec

 **fancypants** : ask hunk to distract him with talk of pizza rolls until we get there

 **piedgeotto** : “we”?

 **Space** **Dad(TM):** “We”?

 **hunkofmylife** : “WE”?

** **fancypants** has left the group**

** **knifeboi** has left the group**

 

 

2:53PM

 **pidgeotto** —> _Four Humans and a Half-Alien Miscreant_

 

 **pidgeotto** : Keith just walked in dragging Lance by the ear

 **Space** **Dad** ( **TM** ): Isn’t Lance on crutches?

** **pidgeotto** added **fancypants** and **knifeboi** to the group**

 **pidgeotto** : lance where are your crutches

 **fancypants** : noooo no non o

 **fancypants** : why u gotta sell me out to shiro like that, pidgeon

 **fancypants** : I thought what we had was special

 **Space** **Dad** ( **TM** ): Lance, you need to keep weight off that leg if you want it to heal properly.

 **fancypants** : look, I KNOW, tell that to your demonspawn

 **Space** **Dad(TM):**  ...Keith?

 **knifeboi** : hey don’t look at me

 **knifeboi** : I offered to carry him and he said no

 **fancypants** : being manhandled by one alien is enough for me today, thank u very much

 **hunkofmylife** : uh guys

 **hunkofmylife** : diplomacy, please

 **hunkofmylife** : room full of aliens trying to transport medical supplies

 **hunkofmylife** : could we maybe help them and then chat afterwards?

 **hunkofmylife** : There’s only so much small talk one can force about pizza

 **fancypants** : shit! sorry! yes hunk, my love, we’re coming!

 **fancypants** : love you

 **fancypants** : so sorry

 

4:57PM

 **mothman** —> **one-armed-wonder**

 

 **mothman** : you don’t think Krolia’s terrifying, do you?

 **one-armed-wonder** : It’s really getting to you? What Lance said?

 **mothman** : no

 **mothman** : I mean

 **mothman** : I don’t know, maybe

 **one-armed-wonder:** I don’t think he meant anything by it, if it helps. I think he was just being Lance.

 **mothman** : but it’s not just him

 **mothman** : I see the way people look at her around here, y’know? her and Kolivan and the other Blades

 **mothman** : me

 **one-armed-wonder** : You?

 **mothman** : yeah

 **one-armed-wonder** : What do you mean?

 **mothman** : I mean it isn’t exactly a secret that I’m half galra

 **mothman** : medical reports from the crash practically broadcasted it to the entire quadrant

 **mothman** : being a paladin doesn’t exempt me from the fact that the universe, as a majority, collectively hates the galra

 **mothman** : not that they’re not entitled to, obviously, but

 **mothman** : still kinda sucks

 **one-armed-wonder** : Keith, I didn’t realize.

 **one-armed-wonder** : Are you okay?

 **mothman** : I’m fine, Shiro

 **mothman** : I’m just saying, I see how people look at mom and Kolivan and the others and how they’re scared of them

 **mothman** : and Lance said she was terrifying and I just

 **mothman** : I dunno

 **mothman** : I don’t want people to be scared of her, I want people to like her

 **mothman** : she’s... she’s my mother, shiro

 **one-armed-wonder** : Take a breath, kiddo. I think you’re overthinking things.

 **mothman** : probably

 **one-armed-wonder** : And for the record? No, I don’t think Krolia is terrifying.

 **mothman** : you don’t?

 **one-armed-wonder** : Nah. I definitely wouldn’t want to be on her bad side, but I know she’s a good person, and I know how good she is to you, so I trust her.

 **one-armed-wonder** : But she is… intense, right? And that can be off-putting to people who don’t know her. It’s intimidating.

 **mothman** : intimidating is just another word for scary, Shiro

 **one-armed-wonder** : No it isn’t. Intimidation is a lot easier to overcome than fear.

 **one-armed-wonder** : You’re telling me you weren’t ever intimidated by her, when you first met her?

 **mothman** : well, no, I was

 **mothman** : but I thought that was just the lifetime of trauma kicking in

 **one-armed-wonder** : Keith...

 **mothman** : I know what I said

 **one-armed-wonder** : Look—

 **one-armed-wonder** : You had a lot of time with her to get past all that, but to most of the people here, the only exposure they’ve had to Galra is from the war—from Zarkon and the Empire’s envoys that occupied their planets. It’ll just take some time.

 **one-armed-wonder** : And you’re right, it’s horrible that they’re being treated like this, that our allies are treating them like this. And I’m sorry I haven’t been more attentive to it. But I will be, moving forward, and I’ll stop it in any way that I can.

 **one-armed-wonder** : And if someone says something that bothers you, Keith, speak up about it. You’re not just half-Galra, you’re the Black Paladin. You’re the leader of Voltron. You have a voice, and no one gets to disrespect you and your family. And if anyone has a problem with that, send them to me—I’ll take care of them real fast.

…

…

…

 **one-armed-wonder** : Keith? You still here, buddy?

 **mothman** : yeah

 **one-armed-wonder** : You okay?

 **mothman** : mhmm

 **one-armed-wonder** : Where are you? Your room?

 **mothman** : yeah

 **one-armed-wonder** : Want me to come see you?

 **mothman** : …yes please

 

 

6:17PM

 **fancypants** —> _Four Humans and a Half-Alien Miscreant_

** **fancypants** changed the group name from _Four Humans and a Half-Alien Miscreant_ to _Four Humans and A Complete Angel_ **

 

 **fancypants** : guys wanna hear what I learned today

 **pidgeotto** : tea?

 **hunkofmylife** : tea?

 **knifeboi** : I swear to god, lance

 **fancypants** : sorry, keith, I spontaneously lost the ability to read messages from ur URL specifically

 **knifeboi** : that doesn’t… that doesn’t even make any sense

 **fancypants** : sorry can’t read it

 **fancypants** : A N Y W A Y

 **fancypants** : so I was down in the gym with our resident space ninja, right

 **facnypants** : telling him all about the lax regulations on spanish lyrics

 **knifeboi** : seriously, Lance, it isn’t a big deal

 **fancypants** : and keith was all broody and zen and in the robot-killing zone

 **fancypants** : so it was the perfect time to ask

 **knifeboi** : god, you’re so dramatic

 **hunkofmylife** : DID YOU ASK HIM WHAT HE NEEDED THE PILLOWS FOR

 **fancypants** : I ASKED HIM WHAT HE NEEDED THE PILLOWS FOR

 **knifeboi** : this is so dubm

 **pidgeotto** : dubm

 **hunkofmylife** : dubm

 **fancypants** : dubm

 **knifeboi** : I thought you couldn’t read my messages, Lance?

 **fancypants** : …

 **fancypants** : …

 **fancypants** : …do u guys hear something or nah

 **pidgeotto** : nah

 **hunkofmylife** : nah

 **fancypants** : okee cool, thought so

 **fancypants** : (dubm)

 **knifeboi** : this is homophobia

 **hunkofmylife** : the pillows, Lance!

 **hunkofmylife** : what did he need the pillows for!!

 **Space** **Dad** ( **TM** ): Yeah, I’m kind of curious about that myself.

 **pidgeotto** : oooooh shiro be creepin

 **knifeboi** : not you too, Shiro

 **fancypants** : SO ANYWAYS he was all slashy slashy with his stupid sword right, and I just asked him straight out: what did u need the pillows for

 **knifeboi** : I am right here, you know

 **fancypants** : and he’s all distracted by the robot trying to kill him

 **fancypants** : and he just ducks under this electrified spear being whipped at his head and admits that they were for kosmo

 **fancypants** : /kosmo/

 **knifeboi** : we’re not! calling! him! kosmo!

 **pidgeotto** : wait, keith, why were you stealing pillows for your dog

 **pidgeotto** : wolf

 **pidgeotto** : thing

 **fancypants** : @knifeboi do u wanna tell them, or should I

 **knifeboi** : kill me now.

 **fancypants** : I’ll take that as ur seal of approval, thnx so much

 **fancypants** : so you know how keith and krolia found kosmo on the space whale?

 **hunkofmylife** : I still have so many questions about that whole fiasco, but yes, go on

 **pidgeotto** : ditto

 **fancypants** : well he was only a cub when they found him, and he’d crashed down like some sorta meteor

 **pidgeotto** : wait, really? he just… fell from space?

 **knifeboi** : pretty much

 **pidgeotto** : trippy

 **fancypants** : BUUUUT they were always outside, right, there’s no buildings or anything on space whales obviously, so they lived in a cave

 **hunkofmylife** : wait, what?

 **Space** **Dad** ( **TM** ): A cave?

 **knifeboi** : …yeah?

 **knifeboi** : it was a nice cave

 **knifeboi** : we had a fire and everything

 **hunkofmylife** : Keith, how long did you say the time dilation was for you guys?

 **knifeboi** : a little over two years

 **hunkofmylife** : oh

 **pidgeotto** : shit

 **Space** **Dad** ( **TM** ): Why didn’t you say anything?

 **knifeboi** : because it’s over

 **knifeboi** : it happened and now it’s done, and there’s more important things to focus on

 **fancypants** : like my STORY

 **fancypants** : sorry that was kind of insensitive huh

 **pidgeotto** : a bit, yeah

 **hunkofmylife** : just a little, buddy

 **knifeboi** : guys, it’s really fine

 **knifeboi** : just… ugh, just let lance tell the damn story

 **fancypants** : thank u, keith

 **fancypants** : who would’ve thought that under all that emo there was a soft, melty center

** **knifeboi** has left the group**

** **fancypants** has added **knifeboi** to the group**

** **fancypants** has changed **knifeboi** ’s name to **softboi** **

 **softboi** : N O

 **fancypants** : suck it up, buttercup

 **fancypants** : ur a softy, embrace it

 **hunkofmylife** : PILLOWS, lance, I wanna hear about the pillows

 **fancypants** : right, yes, of course

 **fancypants** : SO they live in a cave for two years

 **fancypants** : and then the Black Lion for a couple of months

 **fancypants** : so poor little kosmo never really slept on anything that wasn’t cold and hard and horrible before

 **pidgeotto** : wait,, I’m—feeling things

 **pidgeotto** : I don’t like that

 **pidgeotto** : that makes me sad

 **fancypants** : RIGHT

 **fancypants** : so when we got back to earth and suddenly had like, beds n shit

 **Space** **Dad** ( **TM** ): Language.

 **fancypants** : sorry dad

 **fancypants** : beds and shit*

 **fancypants** : kosmo was?? so scared to touch them????

 **fancypants** : they were too fluffy and cushiony and apparently the best boy was terrified of them

 **pidgeotto** : wait stop I don’t like that even more

 **hunkofmylife** : lance when are you getting to the soft parts, all I’m feeling now is pain

 **fancypants** : NOO wait this is the best part

 **fancypants** : so keithy boy has a Thing with that wolf, right, man’s best friend or whatever

 **pidgeotto** : an alien boy and his alien dog, yes, it’s adorable

 **softboi** : …thanks? I think?

 **fancypants** : right and all that’s great, but he’s been having trouble sleeping on a real bed too, since, y’know

 **fancypants** : cave floor for over two years

 **softboi** : can we move on from the cave thing, please

 **fancypants** : yes ofc, just giving some context

 **fancypants** : SOoooOOo keith trained kosmo to fetch pillows from everyone’s rooms because they smelled like people he knew and then they made a big pillow fort in keith’s room because keith didn’t want him to be scared of them, and he figured our scents on everything would help kosmo understand that beds and pillows are safe and comfy and warm

 **fancypants** : and they just hung out in the forts for a while since keith was still recovering and couldn’t be doing real people things yet anyways and it helped him sleep better too because he was on the floor not on a bed so it was still harder than a bed, and yeah

 **fancypants** : long story short, PILLOW FORT, and keith’s a big ol’ softy when it comes to kosmo, thanks for coming to my TEDtalk

 **hunkofmylife** : AWW

 **pidgeotto** : I feel like crying?? this is???? so goddamn sweet?

 **Space** **Dad** ( **TM** ): Keith, I’m proud of you for taking such good care of him. That wolf loves you a lot, you know? You did something really great for him.

 **hunkofmylife** : awwwww broganes! broganes! broganes!

 **hunkofmylife** : I love it when you two have moments

 **Space** **Dad** ( **TM** ): Nah, this is Lance’s moment, I think.

 **softboi** : it is?

 **fancypants** : it is?????

 **fancypants** : oh

 **fancypants** : I mean, yeah,it is!

 **fancypants** : keith, ur reputation has officially been tarnished

 **fancypants** : hang up those fingerless gloves, pal, the gig is up

 **fancypants** : u have a heart, and now we all know it

 **softboi** : god, you guys are the worst

 **hunkofmylife** : love you too bud <3

 **pidgeotto** : keith I’m gonna get cavities this is all??? way too pure

 **Space** **Dad** ( **TM** ): I’m proud of you kiddo!

 

 

6:47PM

 **mothman** —> **one** - **armed** - **wonder**

 

 **mothman** : don’t act all innocent, shirogane

 **mothman** : you’re the worst of them all

 **one** - **armed** - **wonder** : ;)

 

 

6:49PM

 **Space Dad(TM)** —> _Four Humans and a Complete Angel_

**Space Dad(TM):** (attachment_01: tomatoface.jpeg)

 **Space Dad(TM** ): You guys made him blush.

 **softboi** : shirooooo who’s side are you on

 **softboi** : he literally just walked all the way over here from the dining hall to torture me

 **fancypants** : a blessed image, tho, to be fair

 **pidgeotto** : #blessed

 **hunkofmylife** : #blessed

 **softboi** : ugh goodbye

 **Space** **Dad** ( **TM** ): See you soon, buddy!

 **Space** **Dad** ( **TM** ): Love you!

 **softboi** : god you’re such a sap

 **softboi** : get your emotions away from me

 

 

6:53PM

 **mothman** —> **one-armed-wonder**

 

 **mothman** : …love you too, asshole

 **one-armed-wonder** : :)

 

~meanwhile~

6:50PM

 **Gremlin** —> **The Cook** and **Pilates**

 

 **Gremlin** : blessed

 **The Cook** : blessed

 **Pilates** : u gUySsSsssss

 **Pilates** : he’s so fucking cute? like

 **Pilates** : who the fuck gave him permission to blush

 **Pilates** : that should disqualify him

 **Gremlin** : disqualify him from what?

 **Pilates** : I don’t know don’t ask me questions I’m panicking

 **The Cook** : you gonna be okay buddy?

 **Pilates** : hhhhnnng

 **The Cook** : wanna go make some stress cookie dough with me and talk about it?

 **Pilates** : u know me so well

 **Pilates** : <3 be down in ten


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> samurai: lance, where is he  
> sharpshooter: he’s at the memorial wall?  
> sharpshooter: y’know, the one between the medical wing and the residential wing  
> samurai: shit

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> soooo this chapter got kinda angsty, but here we are
> 
> shiro's a mess, someone please just give the poor man a hug

11:27AM

 **pidgeotto** —> _Four Humans and a Complete Angel_

** **pidgeotto** added **Princess** and **Coranic** to the group**

** **pidgeotto** changed the group name from _Four Humans and a Complete Angel_ to _The Gang’s All Here**_

 

 **pidgeotto** : say hi to Allura and Coran everyone

 **pidgeotto** : I was finally able to set them up with communicators that have Altean characters programmed into them and auto-translators

 **Coranic** : Hello, Team!

 **Princess** : Yes, thank you Pidge! Hunk has been helping us greatly, but the written English language is… difficult. Much harder than spoken word, it seems.

 **fancypants** : preach, queen

 **Princess** : Though I must admit, I’m unsure what the goal of this virtual communication server is? Would it not be more efficient to speak directly to one another?

 **pidgeotto** : more efficient, sure

 **pidgeotto** : but this is more fun

 **fancypants** : significantly more fun

 **Coranic** : I am having fun already!

 **Coranic** : Princess, have you noticed the small images that Number Five has created keystrokes for?

 **Coranic** : :-) :-( <3 ;) :’(

 **Coranic** : Number Five, may I ask, what are the purpose of these small images?

 **pidgeotto** : they’re called emoticons, coran

 **pidgeotto** : they’re like… happy faces and sad faces and ready-to-fight faces like

 **pidgeotto** : (ง •̀_•́)ง

 **pidgeotto** : do you see?

 **Coranic** : Ah, yes! I understand!

 **fancypants** : see? they’re fun

 **pidgeotto** : also @softboi @SpaceDad(TM) @hunkofmylife where y’all at

 **fancypants** : y’all

 **hunkofmylife** : y’all

 **softboi** : …y’all?

 **fancypants** : good job keith

 **fancypants** : proud of u for catching on

 **softboi** : thanks

 **Princess** : Hello, everybody!

 **hunkofmylife** : hi, Princess!

 **hunkofmylife** : how are you feeling?

 **Princess** : I’m doing alright! I met with Sam this morning in regard to the teleduv construction, and he believes it should be ready for testing within the quintant!

 **fancypants** : are u sure ur ready for that, princess? that komar quintessence-sucker thing was nasty

 **fancypants** : if u don’t feel ready for something like that, don’t try to force it

 **hunkofmylife** : yeah, what Lance said

 **pidgeotto** : we all took some pretty bad blows, but aside from Keith, you definitely got the worst of it

 **Princess** : It’s important that we get the teleduv functioning quickly in order to assist our allies in their travels and to streamline supply shipment.

 **pidgeotto** : well, yeah, definitely

 **fancypants** : but you come first

 **Princess** : I should put my comfort ahead of the wellbeing of the entire universe? I’m not sure if I agree with that.

 **softboi** : that’s not what they’re saying, Allura

 **softboi** : they’re saying you need to take care of yourself first, and worry about that stuff after

 **softboi** : you’re important to the coalition, and you’re important to this team

 **softboi** : the war is over, the empire’s in shambles and losing its footing—you’ll be able to do far more good if you rest and heal than if you push yourself to do too much too soon and end up hurting yourself

 **fancypants** : wow, keith

 **fancypants** : that was very leaderly of u

 **softboi** : bite me

 **pidgeotto** : there he is

 **fancypants** : there’s the edgelord we know and love

 **Princess** : I… suppose you all have a point.

 **Princess** : I will see what the progress is on the teleduv, and keep Sam updated as to when I think I will be fit to try activating it.

 **fancypants** : good for u, allura!

 **hunkofmylife** : proud of you!

 **Princess** : Thank you, friends.

 **Princess** : Also, has anyone heard from Shiro?

 **softboi** : was he not at the panel with Iverson and Commander Holt this morning?

 **Princess** : Unfortunately, no. I haven’t heard from him at all today, actually. Neither has Sam.

 **Princess** : Have any of you?

 **pidgeotto** : nope

 **hunkofmylife** : not me

 **fancypants** : nada

 **pidgeotto** : Keith? have you heard from him?

 **pidgeotto** : Keith?

 

 

11:38AM

 **mothman** —> **one-armed-wonder**

 

 **mothman** : Shiro? Everything okay?

 **mothman** : where are you?

 

 

11:50AM

 **sharpshooter** —> **samurai**

 

 **sharpshooter** : hey so… I found shiro

 **samurai** : you did?

 **samurai** : where is he?

 **sharpshooter** : he’s—well, I was gonna go check his quarters since he wasn’t answering and u weren’t answering and I started panicking right

 **samurai** : lance, where is he

 **sharpshooter** : he’s at the memorial wall?

 **sharpshooter** : y’know, the one between the medical wing and the residential wing

 **samurai** : shit

 **sharpshooter** : keith? I think he was drinking

 **sharpshooter** : he had a bottle with him

 **sharpshooter** : god I should’ve stayed with him, or something, I just

 **sharpshooter** : I have no idea what’s going on??? since when does shiro day drink?? and neglect his responsibilities????

 **sharpshooter** : I just panicked, I’m sorry

 **sharpshooter** : I figured it would be best to just come get u instead of trying to help and making everything worse

 **sharpshooter** : I should’ve stayed with him, god, I’m such a dick

 

 

11:56AM

 **sharpshooter** : Keith?

 

 

11:59AM

 **Pilates** —> **Gremlin** and **The** **Cook**

 

 **Pilates** : guys keith and shiro have both gone dark and i’m freaking oooouuuuuut

 **Gremlin** : they’re probably fine, Lance, chillax

 **Pilates** : but what if something bad is happening

 **Pilates** : I saw shiro and he… didn’t look good, u guys

 **The** **Cook** : what do you mean, he didn’t look good?

 **The** **Cook** : he’s stable, isn’t he?

 **The** **Cook** : like—the clone body isn’t rejecting him, is it? That’s not a thing we need to worry about anymore?

 **The** **Cook** : god, please tell me that’s not a thing we need to worry about anymore

 **Pilates** : nono, nothing like that

 **Gremlin** : jesus christ, Lance, you’re gonna give me an aneurysm

 **Pilates** : no, I’m sorry, I just

 **Pilates** : he looked so sad, guys

 **Pilates** : I’ve never seen him look so… defeated???

 **Pilates** : I don’t even know

 **The** **Cook** : … I mean the guy has been through hell

 **The** **Cook** : maybe it all just caught up to him?

 **The** **Cook** : he’s been at this for over a year longer than we have, and I’m not sure he’s ever given himself a moment to breathe

 **Pilates** : yeah, I guess

 **Gremlin** : Lance, if Keith isn’t answering either, I’d bet my lion that he’s with Shiro and handling it

 **Pilates** : I know

 **Gremlin** : Shiro’s stubborn, but if there’s anyone he’ll open up to, it’s Keith

 **Pilates** : ur probably right

 **Gremlin** : I usually am

 **Pilates** : I just feel so… guilty???? idk

 **The** **Cook** : don’t

 **The** **Cook** : there’s nothing you could’ve done

 **The** **Cook** : all you can do now is be there for him if he needs it

 **Pilates** : but I wasn’t

 **Gremlin** : Lance? what are you talking about?

 **Pilates** : before, when he called for me, when he needed us,

 **Pilates** : I wasn’t there

 **The** **Cook** : bud?

 **Pilates** : and I wasn’t there for him today

 **Gremlin** : Lance where are you rn

 **Pilates** : the little lounge/greenhouse thing on the roof of the medical wing

 **Gremlin** : how tf did you even get up there with a broken leg

 **Pilates** : anxiety???

 **Gremlin** : god, Lance

 **Gremlin** : I’m omw

 **The** **Cook** : I’m coming too

 **Pilates** : u guys don’t have to, I’m just

 **Pilates** : being overdramatic, I guess

 **Gremlin** : Lance with all due respect

 **Gremlin** : shut the fuck up and let us comfort you

 **The** **Cook** : seriously, dude

 **Pilates** : …

 **Pilates** : alright

 **Pilates** : sorry for being an emotional mess always

 **The** **Cook** : buddy, ever since Keith offed Sendak and that robeast exploded into a bajillion pieces, we’ve all been a giant, collective emotional mess

 **The** **Cook** : I think it has something to do with suddenly not being in mortal danger 24/7

 **The** **Cook** : you’re honestly fine

 **The** **Cook** : I’ll be up in a minute, okay?

 **Gremlin** : me too

 **Gremlin** : seriously, Lance, don’t worry about it

 **Pilates** : …thanks guys

 **Pilates** : ur the best

 

 

12:57PM

 **samurai** —> **sharpshooter**

 

 **samurai** : hey, you’re not a dick

 **samurai** : you did good, lance

 **samurai** : thank you for finding him, and for telling me

 **samurai** : hold on, though, I’m gonna make a separate group—there are some things Shiro wanted me to tell you guys

 

 

1:05PM

** **softboi** added **fancypants** , **pidgeotto** , **hunkofmylife** , **Coranic** , and **Princess** to the group**

** **softboi** named the group _Voltron**_

 

 **fancypants** : boring group name and technically Coran’s a mechie on the Atlas now, not Voltron, but

 **fancypants** : I take it u found shiro?

 **fancypants** : is he ok?

 **softboi** : he’ll get there

 **softboi** : he’s gonna hang out with Commander Holt and Matt for a bit and probably turn in early tonight

 **pidgeotto** : wasn’t Matt supposed to leave to take the cannon blueprints and materials over to the rebel base today?

 **softboi** : he

 **softboi** : yeah, one of the other rebels is filling in for him

 **pidgeotto** : gotcha

 **pidgeotto** : it was… pretty bad, then, wasn’t it? if matt’s staying back?

 **softboi** : yeah

 **softboi** : I turned Shiro’s comm off, so he won’t answer until probably tomorrow, but he wanted me to tell you guys he was sorry

 **softboi** : he didn’t mean to worry everyone

 **Princess** :  He is okay, though? He’s alright?

 **softboi** : frankly, princess? not really

 **softboi** : but he will be

 **hunkofmylife** : Keith? Is there… anything we can do?

 **hunkofmylife** : I don’t really get what’s going on here, but we’re here for him too

 **pidgeotto** : yeah, always

 **softboi** : he knows, guys

 **softboi** : he just… he’s lost a lot

 **softboi** : look, he didn’t want to make it a big deal and I’m shit with words, but to get to the point he had a fiancée on Earth that was killed during one of the first waves of empire scouts that invaded

 **softboi** : they didn’t part on the best of terms before Kerberos and now he’s gone

 **softboi** : and he’s kinda mixed up about the whole clone thing still and he’s been getting memories back from him and from our fight and from the astral plane and his head’s all scrambled and just

 **softboi** : he’s feeling a lot

 **softboi** : so he’s taking a breather for a bit, Pidge’s dad and brother are staying with him

 **Princess** : Oh, Shiro…

 **softboi** : he knows you guys are here for him, he just didn’t want to worry anyone

 **pidgeotto** : god, he’s such an idiot

 **pidgeotto** : this is a thing he does a lot

 **softboi** : what is?

 **pidgeotto** : just

 **pidgeotto** : not letting people care about him

 **pidgeotto** : now I see where you get it from, keith

 **softboi** : watch it

 **hunkofmylife** : seriously, though

 **hunkofmylife** : he really doesn’t like having people worry about him, does he?

 **softboi** : it’s… complicated

 **Princess** : Complicated?

 **softboi** : yeah.

 **Princess** : How so?

 **softboi** : it just is

 **fancypants** : ….alright, cryptic

 **fancypants** : but ok

 **hunkofmylife** : as long as he knows we’re here and that we care

 **softboi** : he does

 **softboi** : thanks, guys

** **fancypants** changed the group name from _Voltron_ to _Shiro Protection Squad 2Kwhatever**_

 **hunkofmylife** : “2Kwhatever”?

 **fancypants** : yeah

 **fancypants** : still super unsure what year it actually is on earth

 **fancypants** : speaking of which – do we need to get our IDs changed? ?? ?

 **fancypants** : bc idk how we’d do that with literally all of earth’s governments in shambles

 **fancypants** : also bc what age are we legally

 **fancypants** : the ones we /are/ or the ones that earth records say we are

 **fancypants** : time rifts are so fucking confusing

 **softboi** : tell me about it

 

 

1:15PM

 **Gremlin** —> **mothman**

 

 **Gremlin** : Keith?

 **mothman** : yeah?

 **Gremlin** : Shiro isn’t…

 **Gremlin** : he’s not still sick, is he?

 **mothman** : …you know about that?

 **Gremlin** : yeah, I

 **Gremlin** : I completely forgot until like, now, but I overheard my dad arguing with someone about it once before Kerberos

 **Gremlin** : sorry

 **mothman** : don’t be

 **mothman** : it was never a secret, he just didn’t particularly like talking about it, so he didn’t

 **Gremlin** : understandable

 **mothman** : but no, he isn’t

 **Gremlin** : really?

 **mothman** : really

 **mothman** : Garrison docs gave him a clean bill of health

 **Gremlin** : wow

 **mothman** : yeah

 **Gremlin** : that’s great

 **Gremlin** : I mean, I assumed so, what with the whole brand spanking new clone body and all,

 **Gremlin** : and also figured (hoped?) that he would’ve told us if it was something that was still like, on the radar, but

 **Gremlin** : it’s really great that he got something good out of all this shit, you know?

 **mothman** : I do

 **mothman** : thanks for caring, Pidge

 **Gremlin** : of course

 **Gremlin** : and Keith?

 **mothman** : mhmm?

 **Gremlin** : you’re doing a great job

 **Gremlin** : we didn’t really support you a lot last time you were piloting Black and I think that’s part of the reason everything kinda went to shit

 **mothman** : to be fair, I was making some pretty terrible decisions that didn’t really warrant support in the first place

 **Gremlin** : mmm maybe

 **Gremlin** : I’m still sorry

 **Gremlin** : and I know it isn’t the easiest thing for you to be open with people but you’re doing really great with the whole being-there-for-the-team-emotionally thing and I’m proud of you

 **Gremlin** : you’ve really matured into a great leader, and idk if that’s because of everything with the quantum abyss or with your mom or whatever, but

 **Gremlin** : just wanted to make sure you knew you’re doing good

 **mothman** : I,

 **mothman** : I don’t really know what to say to that

 **mothman** : thanks Pidge, that means a lot

 **Gremlin** : what are former arm buddies for

 **mothman** : …arm …buddies?

 **Gremlin** : yeah, arm buddies

 **Gremlin** : we were the arms of Voltron for like?? 80% of the war???

 **Gremlin** : at least, post-Voltron-awakening war

 **Gremlin** : the 10,000 years prior doesn’t count

 **mothman** : oh

 **mothman** : right

 **mothman** : arm buddies

 **Gremlin** : jfc, you’re hopeless

 **mothman** : thanks

 **Gremlin** : and speaking of being hopeless,

 **mothman** : oh god

 **Gremlin** : what’s this about Lance’s hips?

 **Gremlin** : you think his zumba classes woud be fun???

 **Gremlin** : is there something you need to share with the class

 **mothman** : god, you’re just as bad as shiro

 **mothman** : goodbye, demon child

 **Gremlin** : goodbye, you overly repressed porcupine

 **Gremlin** : <3

 **mothman** :

 **mothman** :

 **mothman** :

 **mothman** : <3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this fic is turning into "post-war conversations I want the paladins to have but I don't want to write actual prose or descriptions so it's literally just dialogue in the format of a group chat" and I'm honestly??? pretty okay with that


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> fancypants: guys I think this is it  
> fancypants: I think we’ve finally unlocked the no-holds-barred takashi shirogane friendship level  
> hunkofmylife: the… what?  
> fancypants: yanno  
> fancypants: the one where he’s super morbid and blunt and a total savage???  
> fancypants: only the mystical mullet-headed creature has made it to this level before and lived to tell the tale, I’m honestly? ? ??  
> fancypants: so honored

9:02AM

 **fancypants** —> _The Gang’s All Here_

** **fancypants** changed the group name from _The Gang’s All Here_ to _Touristpalooza**_

 

 **pidgeotto** : “touristpalooza”?

 **pidgeotto** : should we be scared?

 **fancypants** : g’morning paladudes

 **fancypants** : funny u should ask, dearest pidgey

 **fancypants** : bc I have a proposition

 **pidgeotto** : oh god

 **hunkofmylife** : that’s sufficiently ominous, thanks lance

 **fancypants** : ;)

 **pidgeotto** : so…

 **fancypants** : …..so?

 **pidgeotto** : so what is it

 **pidgeotto** : what’s the proposition

 **fancypants** : well I can’t say yet

 **fancypants** : not till everyone’s here

 **fancypants** :  @Princess @Coranic @softboi @Space_Dad(TM) where u @

 **Coranic** : I am here, Number Three! :D

 **Princess** : I am as well!

 **softboi** : uh

 **softboi** : hello

 **Princess** : I will say, though - my translator does not seem to recognize the new name of this server? “Touristpalooza”?

 **Princess** : I do know both of those words, but… separately.

 **Princess** : (Pidge, did I do that right?)

 **fancypants** : fhfoiweklnbfow

 **fancypants** : was that a VINE REFERENCE

 **fancypants** : pidge, did u show our loveliest alien princess /VINES/

 **pidgeotto** : technically it’s an unbreakable kimmy schmidt reference but

 **pidgeotto** : I did indeed

 **pidgeotto** : you’re doing great, allura

 **Princess** : :)

 **softboi** : lance? what’s this proposition?

 **fancypants** : wait, shiro’s not here yet

 **fancypants** : I need the whole fam accounted for before sharing my brilliance

 **Space** **Dad(TM):** I’m here, Lance.

 **Space Dad(TM)** : And for the record, I’m… very sorry about yesterday, everyone.

 **Space Dad(TM)** : I’m a bit embarrassed of how I conducted myself. I didn’t mean to worry anyone.

 **hunkofmylife** : what??

 **hunkofmylife** : shiro, no

 **hunkofmylife** : stop that, man, you have literally nothing to be apologizing to us for

 **pidgeotto** : yeah, if anything, we should be apologizing to you

 **Space Dad(TM):** What? For what?

 **pidgeotto** : I mean, we just

 **pidgeotto** : we should’ve been paying more attention, is all

 **Princess** : Pidge is right, Shiro. We should’ve noticed that you were hurting.

 **Princess** : You’ve spent so much energy making sure we’re all faring well, and we should’ve been more attentive to returning the gesture. I truly am sorry, Shiro. I do hope you know that we are all here for you to lean on, when you need us.

 **Space Dad(TM)** : I do know that, Princess. And I appreciate it more than you know.

 **fancypants** : are u feeling any better, shiro?

 **Space Dad(TM):** I

 **Space Dad(TM):** Yeah, I am.

 **Space Dad(TM):** Super hungover, I’ll admit? But better.

 **softboi** : yeah well

 **softboi** : that’s what you get for putting away an entire fifth in the course of like two hours and refusing to drink any of the water Matt and I tried to give you

 **softboi** : like an i d i o t

 **fancypants** : …..

 **fancypants** : …wow keith, way to be sensitive? ?

 **Space Dad(TM)** : No, he has a point.

 **Space Dad(TM)** : Though to be fair, a little hangover is nothing compared to what it’s like having your conscious soul shoved into the dead body of an evil clone.

 **Space Dad(TM)** : I know people sometimes have out of body experiences while drinking, but. From experience?

 **Space Dad(TM):** Hangovers? A walk in the park, by comparison.

 **softboi** : …shiro wtf

 **pidgeotto** : jfc

 **Princess** : Oh.

 **Princess** : Oh, dear.

 **hunkofmylife** : holy shit

 **Space** **Dad(TM)** : …What? Too soon?

 **fancypants** : sdfihoawneign

 **fancypants** : guys I think this is it

 **fancypants** : I think we’ve finally unlocked the no-holds-barred takashi shirogane friendship level

 **hunkofmylife:** the… what?

 **fancypants** : yanno

 **fancypants** : the one where he’s super morbid and blunt and a total savage???

 **fancypants** : only the mystical mullet-headed creature has made it to this level before and lived to tell the tale, I’m honestly? ? ??

 **fancypants** : so honored

 **Space Dad(TM)** : ….eh, what can I say?

 **Space Dad(TM):** It’s not like I’m your CO anymore.

 **pidgeotto** : “out of body experience” shiro I’m literally going to scream wtf

 **Space Dad(TM):** ¯\\_(ツ)_/¯

 **hunkofmylife** : holy shit, shiro.

 **Space Dad(TM):** Hey, language. You guys are too young to be talking like that.

 **fancypants:** says the six yr old lmao

 **Space Dad(TM):** You wound me, Lance. I thought you were better than that.

 **fancypants:** silly silly captain

 **fancypants:** ofc I’m not

 **Space Dad(TM):** Anyways.

 **Space Dad(TM** ): Lance? Didn’t you say you had a…

 **Space Dad(TM):** Proposition?

 **fancypants** : boeinpwekfdvjkghwpn YES thank u I totally forgot !!

 **fancypants** : s/o shiro for keeping this whole goddamn family unit functioning

 **hunkofmylife** : ^^^

 **pidgeotto** : ^

 **fancypants** : OKAY SO as the Red Paladin of Voltron I’m pulling rank and making the executive decision that we’re all in dire need of a ~vacation day~

 **pidgeotto** : “pulling rank”?

 **pidgeotto** : lance, you do realize 3 of the 6 other people in this chat hold rank over you, don’t you?

 **fancypants** : I like to think the 4 of us are equals, thank u very much

 **pidgeotto** : except… you’re not?

 **pidgeotto** : Shiro’s Captain of the Atlas

 **pidgeotto** : Keith’s the leader of Voltron, which makes him your CO

 **pidgeotto** : and Allura’s quite literally a princess, and the head of the Coalition

 **fancypants** : ur focusing on the wrong part of my announcement pidgeon

 **fancypants** : I saiiiiiiid

 **fancypants** : ~vacation day~

 **fancypants** : ~~~ ~ ~~ ~~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~~ ~

 **hunkofmylife** : great idea in theory, buddy, but

 **hunkofmylife** : there’s so much work that we have to do? with the relief efforts and supply transport and, like,

 **hunkofmylife** : rebuilding some kind of habitable civilization so that we aren’t all squished into the Garrison for the rest of our lives

 **softboi** : not to mention Haggar’s still out there, somewhere, and we still haven’t found an efficient way to keep the Lions at full power without the Atlas around short of draining our own quintessence

 **Space** **Dad(TM)** : Or the fact that you’re not cleared for travel until you get that cast off your leg.

 **fancypants** : whiiiiiich is scheduled for 0800 tomorrow, thank u for asking

 **Space Dad(TM):** It is?

 **fancypants** : mhmmmmm had a doctor’s appt first thing this morning, and he gave me the ol’ thumbs up

 **Space Dad(TM):** Lance, that’s great! You must be thrilled.

 **fancypants** : yeee, I’m excited to get this hunk of plaster away from me for the rest of my life

 **fancypants** : and the armpit chafing from the stupid crutches??? no more

 **fancypants** : adiós para siempre, fuckers

 **Space Dad(TM):** Language.

 **fancypants** : BUT yeah I’m proposing after that we take a vacation day bc we’ve all been stressed and overworked and I think it would be good for all of us for like, our sanity and mental health, or w.e

 **fancypants** : plus, and full offense to those of u who /enjoy/ being in the middle of a hot, arid sandpit in Absolutely Nowhere, USA

 **fancypants** : (looking @ u, keithy boy)

 **softboi** : oh fuck off

 **fancypants** : I think I literally might die if I don’t see an ocean ASAP

 **fancypants** : preferably the atlantic, from my very favorite private sandbar off varadero

 **fancypants:** we’ve been on Earth for a little bit now and there was the whole war thing and then we were all like, dying, for a hot sec, so obvs I understand that there just hasn’t been the time, but

 **fancypants** : there’s time now

 **Space Dad(TM):** It’s… a nice prospect, Lance, but I’m not sure how feasible that is.

 **Space Dad(TM):** Hunk was right, there’s a ton of work we have to do here, important work with the Coalition and the reconstruction and the debris clearing. They need as many hands around here as they can get, I’m not sure how I feel about just… taking an entire day off, and leaving that work to everyone else.

 **Princess** : I’m sorry, Lance, but I’m inclined to agree with Shiro. Coran and I have meetings planned all day tomorrow with the Atlas engineers, to help with incorporating not only Altean technology into the Atlas’ accessories, but Olkari technologies, as well. I’m not sure how fair it is to switch things around so last minute on them.

 **Princess:** Not to mention the panel of Coalition representatives that are supposed to be assembling here over the next few quintants.

 **fancypants** : oh c’mooooon u guys

 **fancypants** : one day, that’s all I’m asking for

 **fancypants** : the relief efforts will still be effort-ing when we get back

 **fancypants** : the engineers will still be engineering, cadets will still be cadet-ing

 **fancypants** : plus my mamá wanted me to invite u all over for dinner bc she’s sappy and likes to do that, and she rlly wants to meet u all outside of like, a hospital setting bc boo that

 **fancypants** : hunk, my better half, tell them how good my mamá’s picadillo is, I’m begging u

 **fancypants** : tell them it’s worth it

 **hunkofmylife** : oh,

 **hunkofmylife** : oh man, you guys

 **hunkofmylife** : I’ve tasted a lot of good food in my time, but Rosalina McClain’s picadillo??

 **hunkofmylife** : a true masterpiece.

 **hunkofmylife** : if there’s a best way to relish in the fact that we have actual food again, it would be with Rosa’s picadillo

 **Princess** : I… will admit, I am eager to see more of Earth. You all speak so fondly of it, I cannot wait to experience more of it outside of our current outpost. And I agree in that we could all do with a small break, after everything.

 **pidgeotto** : I feel like we’re doing important work here, and I feel bad kind of just yeeting away from it?

 **pidgeotto** : I was supposed to be helping my dad and Matt set up a new communication system to keep us connected with all the planets we’ve liberated, but like

 **pidgeotto** : not for nothing, you have a point, we’ve all been really overworking ourselves, especially since coming back to Earth

 **pidgeotto** : also I’ve never been to Cuba before? So I guess I’m down

 **fancypants** : u won’t be disappointed, pidgeon!!! cuba’s the best ever, ur gonna love it

 **pidgeotto** : yeah, me and my very pale skin will be the judge of that, mcclain

 **fancypants:** I’ll buy u a beach umbrella to keep u safe, dont worry

 **fancypants:** speaking of people probably prone to burning

 **fancypants** : keith why r u so quiet

 **fancypants** : what’s going on in that mullet

 **fancypants** : ur input is valid

 **softboi** : sorry, I

 **softboi** : I think it’s a great idea, Lance

 **softboi** : I really do

 **fancypants** : ….wow

 **fancypants** : that was surprisingly easy, coming from u

 **softboi** : what’s that supposed to mean?

 **fancypants** : it means ur usually all “training, training, tactics, efficiency, war war war” so I guess I was expecting more of a fight ?

 **fancypants** : u just really don’t strike me as one to take many vacations, is all

 **softboi** : I’m not

 **softboi** : but that doesn’t mean I don’t see the value of them in situations like this

 **fancypants** : situations like…

 **softboi** : like. like—this?

 **softboi** : I dunno. You made some good points.

 **softboi** : we’re all exhausted and drained and I think a day to recoup would be really beneficial, is all

 **softboi** : plus, it’s not like we’d be abandoning the relief efforts, it’s only a day

 **softboi** : I think they can survive without us for one day

 **pidgeotto** : …..the amount of people around here is getting to you, isn’t it

 **softboi** : …

 **softboi** : …maybe

 **softboi** : there’s just so many of them

 **fancypants** : ah, yes, there’s our fav introvert, live and in person

 **softboi** : in my defense I’ve never been good with crowds to begin with, and I don’t think spending the last two years with only my mother and a wolf for company has made me any better at dealing with them

 **pidgeotto** : that’s… valid

 **softboi** : thank you.

 **fancypants** : but that means ur in? u wanna come?

 **softboi** : I—yeah

 **softboi** : yeah, I do

 **softboi** : I think it sounds… nice

 **fancypants** : :D yay

 **fancypants** : @Coranic, our mustachioed wonder, where are u on this lovely morning? u went dark on us

 **Princess** : Oh, Lance—I believe Coran stepped out a little bit ago to assist Commander Iverson with something regarding the MFEs. I’m not sure he has he communicator on him.

 **fancypants** : aw man

 **Princess** : I’m sure he’ll be more than thrilled to see some other areas of your home planet, Lance, especially this “Varadero” you speak so warmly of. Do not worry.

 **fancypants** : yeah, I guess

 **fancypants** : ok then I guess there’s only one man left

 **fancypants** : Shiro??? what are u thinking

 **Space** **Dad(TM):** Lance, I.

 **Space Dad(TM)** : I don’t know.

 **Space Dad(TM** ): I’m not sure I’m in the best state for a beach day, if I’m being honest. I think it may be best for me to hang back here, catch up on some work from yesterday that I’ve fallen behind on.

 **fancypants** : Shiro, no offense, but that’s dumb???

 **fancypants** : if anyone deserves a day off it’s u

 **fancypants** : it isn’t good to just barrel through work to distract yourself from feeling things

 **fancypants** : and don’t u dare try and tell me that’s not how u function as a person, bc I’ve known u for like nearly forever now and that is 100% how u function as a person, and I say that out of love and concern for ur wellbeing

 **fancypants** : so like

 **fancypants** : consider it??? please?

 **Space Dad(TM** ): …I will, Lance. I promise.

 **fancypants** : that is all I ask :)

 

 

10:26AM

 **mothman** —> **one-armed-wonder**

 

 **mothman** : lance has a point, you know

 **one-armed-wonder** : You’re only saying that because you’re in love with him.

 **one-armed-wonder** : I miss when you used to be on my side.

 **mothman** : a) shut your quiznak rn you absolute trashbag

 **mothman** : b) I’m always on your side? you should know that by now

 **one-armed-wonder** : …and you call me the gross one.

 **mothman** : Shiro.

 **one-armed-wonder** : No, I know. I just—

 **one-armed-wonder** : I can’t help but feel like this whole push is because of yesterday? I never meant for him to see that, and now he’s all worried and he wants to take us to Cuba? All because I couldn’t just handle things on my own?

 **mothman** : yeah, because he cares about you, you idiot

 **mothman** : and because you don’t need to handle things on your own, you have us

 **one-armed-wonder** : Hi Pot, my name’s Kettle.

 **mothman** : okay, point.

 **mothman** : doesn’t make it any less valid what he’s trying to do

 **one-armed-wonder** : I know.

 **mothman** : and I know Lance could use the break, too

 **mothman** : frankly we all can. I don’t think it’s just because of you

 **one-armed-wonder** : You’re right.

 **mothman** : so are you going to go?

 **one-armed-wonder** : I… don’t know, Keith.

 **mothman** : do you have a valid reason why you wouldn’t, outside of something work-related? or is it just because you feel guilty about taking time for yourself?

 **one-armed-wonder** : I. No. I guess not. That’s the main one, I think.

 **mothman** : then if that’s the case, and I say this as someone who loves and respects you immensely

 **mothman** : if you leave me alone with lance

 **mothman** : on a goddamn beach

 **mothman** : for an entire day

 **mothman** : I swear to the fucking cosmos, takashi, I will cut your other fucking arm off

 **one-armed-wonder:** …

 **one-armed-wonder:** …

 **one-armed-wonder:** Wow, Keith.

 **one-armed-wonder** : You must really have it bad, huh?

 **mothman** : you don’t understand

 **one-armed-wonder** : Oh, I think I understand just fine, kiddo.

 **mothman** : no, you don’t

 **mothman** : I think I’d die

 **mothman** : or I’d kill him

 **mothman** : either way you’re 90% of my impulse control, so if you’re not there someone’s winding up dead

 **one-armed-wonder** : Keith, have you thought about just… telling Lance how you feel?

 **mothman** : hilarious

 **mothman** : you think I feel things

 **mothman** : good one shiro

 **one-armed-wonder** : Keith…

 **mothman** : so I’m gonna tell lance you’re coming okay

 **mothman** : okay great

 **one-armed-wonder** : What about all of the work that needs to be done here?

 **mothman** : Shiro, our entire planet was nearly annihilated

 **mothman** : there will be plenty of work to do when we get back, believe me

 **mothman** : no one’s in danger, people have food and water and shelter, people have medical supplies, hospitals are emptying, allies are coming in by waves to help in the relief efforts and rebuilding

 **mothman** : the Garrison personnel can hold down the fort while we take like five seconds for ourselves, after spending the last like four years fighting a universal-fucking-wide alien war

 **one-armed-wonder** : Technically I took yesterday off? That was a whole day.

 **mothman** : Shiro.

 **one-armed-wonder** : Okay, okay. I get it.

 **one-armed-wonder** : A break would be… beneficial.

 **mothman** : so you’ll go?

 **one-armed-wonder** : Yeah. I’ll go.

 **one-armed-wonder** : I wouldn’t want to be responsible for inter-paladin homicide after all, would I?

 **mothman** : thanks, shiro

 **one-armed-wonder** : For?

 **mothman** : for agreeing to take care of yourself, even a little bit

 **mothman** : I worry about you, you know

 **one-armed-wonder** : I’m fine, Keith. You don’t need to.

 **mothman** : of course I do, you’re my brother??

 **mothman** : and you get into trouble when I’m not around to supervise you

 **one-armed-wonder** : I do not!

 **mothman** : Kerberos alien abduction

 **mothman** : Zarkon legitimately killing you

 **mothman** : Sendak nearly killing you again

 **one-armed-wonder** : …How were those things my fault, exactly?

 **mothman** : not what I’m saying

 **mothman** : I’m saying you give me high blood pressure

 **mothman** : let me worry

 **one-armed-wonder** : God, Keith.

 **mothman** : so you’re coming, yes?

 **one-armed-wonder** : I—yeah. I am.

 **mothman** : great because I already told lance

 **mothman** : :)

 **one-armed-wonder** : You just wanted an excuse to message him.

 **mothman** : I take it back

 **mothman** : I don’t want you there

 **mothman** : you’re dead to me

 **one-armed-wonder** : <3

 **mothman** : no go away

 **one-armed-wonder** : <3 <3 <3

 **mothman** : goodbye forever, I’m rescinding this brotherhood, I don’t want it anymore

 **one-armed-wonder** : Hey, come grab lunch with me?

 **one-armed-wonder** : There’s apparently a guest chef working in the cafeteria today that specializes in alien cuisine.

 **mothman** : unnnnngggggg haven’t you had enough alien cuisine

 **mothman** : I just want to eat cheeseburgers for the rest of my life

 **one-armed-wonder:** Ah, yes. Cholesterol on a bun.

 **one-armed-wonder** : Also, you’re lactose intolerant? You shouldn’t be eating cheese at all?

 **mothman** : let me live my life

 **one-armed-wonder** : So… are you coming? For lunch?

 **mothman** : it’s 10:45 in the fucking morning, shiro

 **mothman** : it is not lunch time

 **one-armed-wonder** : Brunch, then. I’m starving, I don’t want to wait for actual lunch.

 **mothman** : do you have a tapeworm or something

 **one-armed-wonder** : …No? I’m just hungry.

 **one-armed-wonder** : I’m a grown man, let me live my life.

 **mothman** : no

 **mothman** : …

 **mothman** : god, yes, fine, I’ll be there in a minute

 **one-armed-wonder:** :)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> so uhhh. vacation day? in the middle of repairing a war-torn society? seems legit
> 
> (s8 is so close you guys I am not ready at all)


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> fancypants: lotor, acxa, zethrid, ezor—what do they all have in common
> 
> fancypants: they’re halfbreeds, and they’re /hot as all hell/
> 
> softboi: that’s debatable
> 
> fancypants: and here u r
> 
> fancypants: 120lbs of mullet and 10lbs of angst
> 
> softboi: that doesn’t even make sense

2:22PM

 **fancypants** —> _Touristpalooza_

 

 **fancypants** : @softboi ur gf’s in the lounge

 **softboi** : my—excuse me?

 **fancypants** : yanno

 **fancypants** : general angry pants

 **hunkofmylife:** oh boy here we go

 **softboi** : are you

 **softboi** : are you talking about Acxa?

 **fancypants** : mmmhmmmm

 **fancypants** : she’s in the lounge

 **softboi** : and you’re telling me because...?

 **fancypants** : idk

 **fancypants** : I figured she was here to see u?????

 **softboi** : no

 **softboi** : I’m not sure why she’s here

 **softboi** : she’s been working with some Blades trying to set up outposts among the empire-occupied planets, but they’re not due to check back in here for another movement at least

 **fancypants** : do u think something happened???

 **softboi** : well I didn’t

 **softboi** : now I might

 **pidgeotto** : I’m sure everything is fine, keith

 **softboi** : yeah, you’re probably right

 **fancypants** : ....so, is she???

 **softboi** : is she... what?

 **fancypants** : ur gf

 **fancypants** : not like I care, but

 **fancypants** : u guys seem to have a thing

 **pidgeotto** : “not like I care” I’m gonna choke, lance

 **hunkofmylife** : pidge, please don’t encourage him…

 **softboi** : no, we don’t have a “thing”

 **fancypants** : kinda feels like u have a thing ? ???

 **softboi** : we do not have a thing

 **fancypants:** it reeeeeaaaaalllllllly seems like there’s a thing

 **softboi** : there is no thing!

 **softboi** : I don’t even know why she’s here

 **fancypants** : r u sure

 **fancypants** : historically speaking, half galra tend to flock together

 **fancypants** : u can brood to her about how hard it was growing up without the hot gene they all got

 **fancypants** : bc it’s?? apparently?? like a pre-rec for being half space-cat

 **softboi** : I—what?

 **fancypants** : don’t act all ignorant

 **fancypants** : lotor, acxa, zethrid, ezor—what do they all have in common

 **fancypants** : they’re halfbreeds, and they’re /hot as all hell/

 **softboi** : that’s debatable

 **fancypants** : and here u r

 **fancypants** : 120lbs of mullet and 10lbs of angst

 **softboi** : that doesn’t even make sense

 **softboi** : I weigh more than 130 pounds?

 **fancypants** : mmmmm sounds fake but ok

 **fancypants** : 120lbs of mullet, 10lbs of angst, and 5 of bitterness

 **softboi** : oh, fuck off

** **fancypants** changed **softboi’s** name to **bitterboi** **

 **bitterboi** : what did I ever do to you

 **fancypants** : u didn’t grow into the hot gene early enough

 **fancypants** : and then I had to spend like a year in space looking at ur only slightly-above-average-attractiveness face

 **bitterboi** : gee lance

 **bitterboi** : really know how to make a guy feel good about himself

 **fancypants** : hey I did say above average

 **fancypants** : but that was before the whole abyss nonsense

 **fancypants** : and the scar

 **bitterboi** : and.. what do those have to do with anything?

 **fancypants** : god, keith

 **fancypants** : please tell me ur not really this dense

 **bitterboi** : ???

 **bitterboi** : oh is this about the whole “bigger cooler grizzled older brother” thing

 **fancypants** : ksneldifbeiwbd

 **fancypants** : don’t call me out like that????

 **bitterboi** : I’ll take that as a yes?

 **fancypants** : I’ve seen like, 3803729 cadets try and flirt with u since we’ve been back

 **fancypants** : u can’t honestly tell me u don’t know ur a walking, talking, knife-wielding s n a c k these days

 **bitterboi** : am I… supposed to know what that means?

 **fancypants** : GOD

 **fancypants** : JUST FORGET IT

 **bitterboi** : lance?

 **fancypants** : go be a lame 21 yr old somewhere else

 **fancypants** : actually come get ur gf from the lounge, she’s asking for u

 **bitterboi** : she’s not my girlfriend? Why do you keep saying that

 **fancypants** : bc it makes sense

 **fancypants** : u both have that space ninja assassin vibe

 **fancypants** : she’s, as stated above, /hot as all hell/

 **fancypants** : ur both half galra and have mysterious pasts

 **fancypants** : u fight well together, which is probably some kinda mating ritual or smth for our favorite violence-loving purple space furries

 **bitterboi** : what the hell are you

 **bitterboi** : just because some subraces of galra grow fur does not make them furries, lance

 **fancypants** : totally does

 **fancypants** : also tfw u know what a furry is but not what it means to be a snaccccck

 **fancypants** : ANYWYAS I just???

 **fancypants** : don’t see why u wouldn’t be dating

 **bitterboi** : lance, I

 **bitterboi** : I’m gay

 **bitterboi:** I don’t… like women, like that

 **bitterboi** : so there’s one glaring reason for you

 **fancypants** : minor details, mullet

 **bitterboi** : I also don’t know… anything about her?

 **bitterboi** : like, at all

 **bitterboi** : aside from the fact that one minute she was trying to skewer us with lasers and the next minute, which was actually three years later, she was our ally

 **fancypants** : again, mysterious past

 **fancypants** : just like u

 **bitterboi** : my past isn’t that mysterious?

 **bitterboi** : not anymore at least

 **fancypants** : again, minor details

 **fancypants** : should I tell her ur coming or no

 **bitterboi** : jfc

 **bitterboi** : yeah, I’ll be down in a sec

 **bitterboi** : just... stop saying words

 **fancypants** : ur not my mother

 **bitterboi** : thank fucking god

 **pidgeotto** : …this family’s a fucking mess.

 

 

2:30PM

 **Pilates** —> **Gremlin** and **The** **Cook**

**Pilates** : soooo keith and acxa really aren’t a thing

 **Gremlin** : ????

 **Gremlin** : duh??

 **The Cook** : buddy, did you really think they were?

 **Pilates** : I didn’t know what to think!!!

 **Pilates** : u guys can’t honestly say u don’t notice the bedroom eyes she gives him like aLwAyS

 **Pilates** : like cmON

 **The Cook** : lance, we’ve all known for a while that Keith’s into guys??

 **Pilates** : /eys/

 **Pilates** : but I couldn’t just assume he’s not into girls too!!!

 **Pilates** : it bothers u when people assume ur straight just bc ur dating a girl, doesn’t it??

 **The Cook** : I mean, sure

 **The Cook** : but my girlfriend’s also a literal alien rock

 **The Cook** : so most people catch on to the whole “pan” thing pretty easily

 **Pilates** : ughhhghghhg hUnk work w me here, buddy

 **Gremlin** : also, lance

 **Gremlin** : is there a reason you were using the group chat for that entire convo, or…?

 **Pilates** : well yeAHHH I was HOPING to have some backup from my best friends in the universe but nooo they ABANDONED ME in my TIME OF NEED

 **Gremlin** : you do realize even though they weren’t online, Allura, Coran, and Shiro will be able to see all that when they turn their comms back on after their meetings get out

 **The** **Cook** : yeah, pidge and I were just creeping because it’s funnier to watch you two be disasters around each other, but

 **The** **Cook** : what’s shiro gonna think when he sees you called his little brother a furry

 **Pilates** : I did not call him a furry!!!! I called ~galra~ furries

 **Pilates** : which

 **Pilates** : I am seeing now

 **Pilates** : technically includes keith

 **Pilates** : though if u wanna be real technical, it only includes /half/ of keith

 **The Cook** : ….which half are you thinking, buddy?

 **Pilates** : oeijlkdvnwobiawoikl NO STOP THAT RIGHT NOW

 **Gremlin** : you also called him a “walking, talking, knife-wielding snack”

 **Pilates** : alright it isn’t my fault that that idiot doesn’t know what flirting is!! !

 **Pilates** : I’m trying so hard out here guys, why is he like this

 **Gremlin** : why is he like this, or why are YOU like this??

 **Pilates** : HE

 **Pilates** : HIM

 **Pilates** : but ….  I guess if the shoe fits then also me

 **Gremlin** : here’s a concept:

 **Gremlin** : have you thought about actually just telling keith how you feel

 **Pilates** : and risk him stabbing me in the eye or something and breaking my fragile bi heart? ????

 **Pilates** : hilarious

 **Pilates** : ha h

 **Pilates** : hahahahaHA

 **The Cook:** lance, pal…

 **Pilates:** I gotta go talk to my parents about guest arrangements for dinner tomorrow, gotta go byeeeeeeeeee

 **The Cook:** lance

 **The Cook** : lance you can’t just ignore this until it goes away, little buddy

 **Pilates** : fucking WATCH ME

 **Pilates** : ok love u guys lots though <3 not to change the subject but I really am excited for tomorrow

 **Pilates** : I haven’t seen the ocean in so long and I know it probably sounds silly but I’ve been??? kinda nervous about going home tbh

 **Pilates:** just because everything is so different now

 **Pilates:** but the fact that u guys are all coming w me makes me feel a lot better about it, so I hope u like it, cuz I literally might die if u don’t

 **Gremlin** : I’m sure we will, lance

 **Gremlin:** I get what you mean about being nervous to go home, but we’ll all be together and for once it won’t be for some life-or-death situation and I think it’ll be really good, to just spend some time together outside of the war

 **Pilates:** ….pidge that was so s o f t

 **Gremlin:** it wasn’t soft, it was the truth

 **Gremlin** : I don’t remember the last time we all just hung out without having to worry about anything

 **Gremlin** : it’ll be good for us

 **Gremlin** : you done did good, kid

 **Pilates** : pidge stop I’m gonna cry???

 **Pilates** : omg u really do love us!

 **Gremlin** : of course I do

 **Gremlin** : idiot

 **Gremlin** : now can I please get back to finishing up this new bioscanner programming? I want to get it done before we leave so that tomorrow Matt can start running trials and integrating the algorithm into the prototype cryopods

 **Pilates** : …cryopods?

 **Pilates** : I thought ur dad said they were never able to replicate the tech for the pods?

 **Gremlin** : well no, they weren’t

 **Gremlin** : but now that Earth’s open for allied planet supply transport, Ryner’s helping integrate Olkari technologies into the models that they had made originally, and we’re hoping to come up with something that works

 **Gremlin** : and because the Garrison’s kind of become the hub for Coalition activity, there needs to be some kind of functional bioscanner in the pods to account for any potential user’s specific biology and physiological needs at any given point in time

 **The Cook** : so… aliens

 **The Cook** : we need it to be able to function for all different types of aliens, is what you’re saying

 **The Cook** : because like, we’d need different things from the pods than Allura would, or Keith, or an Arusian or Olkari

 **Gremlin** : yup, pretty much

 **The Cook** : gotcha

 **Pilates** : well that sounds super sciency and difficult….. have fun with that, pidge

 **Gremlin** : oh I will, don’t worry

 **Gremlin** : the coding for it is actually really fascinating, if you wanna hear about it??? it’s not super complex in theory, but it’s really sophisticated programming.. I can show you how the tech detects and tracks certain genetic markers, if you want? it really is pretty interesting

 **The Cook** : I’m actually supposed to go meet up with my parents for a little bit :/

 **The Cook** : I’m sorry pidge, you know I’d totally be stoked to come if I could

 **Pilates** : and y’know, I also totally would, but I reeeeaaaally oughta figure plans out with my mom for when I bring home a small army tomorrow

 **Gremlin** : oh, okay

 **Gremlin** : that’s okay guys! have fun with the rents

 **Pilates** : I

 **Pilates** : acutally, u know what

 **Pilates** : I just realized

 **Pilates** : I’m a dummy

 **Gremlin** : you just realized that???

 **Pilates** :  hush child

 **Pilates** : I just realized that my parents are busy for a bit with Veronica

 **Pilates** : so I’m totally available to come listen to ur technobabble :) I’ll just talk to them later, when they’re done with her!

 **Gremlin** : lance, you don’t have to

 **Gremlin** : I know it bores you

 **Pilates** : I told u to hush

 **Pilates** : I’m coming

 **Pilates** : r u w the g l ????????

 **Gremlin** : I’m sorry, was that a question or some single-lettered keysmashing

 **Pilates** : ARE

 **Pilates** : YOU

 **Pilates** : WITH

 **Pilates** : THE

 **Pilates** : GREEN

 **Pilates** : LION

 **Pilates** : QUESTION MARK

 **Pilates** : QUESTION MARK

 **Pilates** : QUESTION MARK

 **Pilates** : QUESTION MARK

 **Gremlin** : god, LANCE

 **Gremlin** : If I say yes will you knock it off

 **Pilates** : QUESTION MARK

 **Pilates** : QUESTION MARK

 **Gremlin:** yes, I’m with Green

 **Pilates** : QUESTION MARK

 **Pilates** : thank u

 **Pilates** : be there soon !

 **Pilates** : <3 <3 <3 <3 <3333333333

 **Gremlin** : yeah, yeah

 **Gremlin** : <3

 

 

2:40PM

 **The Cook** —> **Pilates**

 

 **The Cook** : lance? isn’t veronica dry running drills with the Atlas crew rn?

 **Pilates** : hunkalicious, my better half, the love of my life

 **Pilates** : shut ur quiznak

 **Pilates** : I’m being supportive

 **The Cook** : oooooh I see!

 **The Cook** : good for you! proud of you

 **Pilates** : thank u, thank u

 **Pilates:** I’ll be here all week

 **Pilates** : except for the next x hours, wherein I will be sucked up by the black hole that is pidge’s science gobbledygook

 **Pilates** : if I don’t make it out, hunk

 **Pilates** : u were always my favorite

 **The Cook** : aww, lance!

 **Pilates** : and tell keith he’s not allowed at my funeral until he cuts the mullet

 **The Cook** : lance, I’m pretty sure you’d go into cardiac arrest if keith ever cut his hair

 **Pilates** : well it’s a good thing I’ll already be dead, then, isn’t it

 **Pilates** : ok I’m nearly at green’s hangar

 **Pilates** : wish me luck

 **The Cook** : see you on the other side, buddy

 

 

4:02PM

 **Space Dad(TM)** —> _Touristpalooza_

**Space Dad(TM)** : Uh. Should I be concerned?

 **Space Dad(TM)** : Hello? Anybody?

 

 

4:06PM

 **mothman** —> **one-armed-wonder**

 

 **mothman** : please shiro

 **mothman** : for the sake of my dignity

 **mothman** : please ignore everything that happened in that stupid group chat

 **one-armed-wonder** : …Alright, kiddo. Whatever you say.

 **one-armed-wonder** : Though I do have one question?

 **mothman** : hnnnngggggg

 **one-armed-wonder** : How come you never told me you’re a furry?

 **mothman** : SH I R O

 

* * *

 

  

8:42PM

 **samurai** —> **sharpshooter**

 

 **samurai** : lance?

 **samurai** : I have a question

 **sharpshooter** : go for it, mullet

 **sharpshooter** : is everything ok ??

 **samurai** : yeah, I was just wondering

 **samurai** : and you can say no?

 **samurai** : but I was wondering if it’d be okay if Krolia came with us tomorrow

 **sharpshooter** : !! ! !  ! !!!!!

 **sharpshooter** : hell yeah, boiiii

 **sharpshooter** : the more the merrier

 **samurai** : …even though she’s “terrifying”?

 **samurai** : I don’t want anyone to be uncomfortable, I just

 **samurai** : being on Earth again is kinda hard for her with my dad gone, and I feel kind of bad leaving her alone considering she’s only here for me in the first place

 **sharpshooter** : oh no, dude, don’t worry about that at all???

 **sharpshooter** : I didn’t mean terrifying terrifying, just

 **sharpshooter** : she gives off that “I could kill u blindfolded with both hands tied behind my back and half-dead” kinda vibe, yanno

 **sharpshooter** : which is cool and badass

 **samurai** : and terrifying?

 **sharpshooter** : only a little terrifying

 **sharpshooter** : all the blades give me that vibe, it's part of the whole secret ninja assassin thing u guys have goin on

 **samurai** : …oh

 **samurai** : okay?

 **sharpshooter** : so yeah, bring her along! happy to host our fav space mom

 **sharpshooter** : mamá will be thrilled too, bc there’ll be another palamom there to vent all her frustrations to about the whole *space war* shenanigans

 **samurai** : …palamom?

 **sharpshooter** : yaaahhhhh palamom! paladin mom. palamom

 **sharpshooter** : like mom of a paladin?? bc we’re paladins, and they’re our moms

 **sharpshooter** : do u get it?

 **samurai** : yeah, I got it, buddy.

 **sharpshooter** : WAIT I SHOULD MAKE THEM ALL T-SHIRTS

 **sharpshooter** : what color, though ? ?? ? color-coordinated for each of our lions, or,

 **sharpshooter** : all one color as like a palamom power squad

 **samurai** : lance??

 **sharpshooter** : if that’s the case, what color, though??? mamá really likes yellow and orange

 **sharpshooter** : but that would clash with Krolia’s /everything/ right

 **sharpshooter** : purple and orange? ? no bueno

 **samurai:** Lance.

 **sharpshooter** : sorry! sorry! distracted. I’m back now

 **sharpshooter** : but yes, totally welcome

 **samurai** : and you’re sure your family will be okay with it?

 **sharpshooter** : why wouldn’t they be????

 **samurai** : because she’s Galra

 **samurai** : and the Galra just kind of destroyed everything a little

 **samurai** : and people can be weird about it

 **sharpshooter** : dude, u met them, and ur galra

 **sharpshooter** : my fam didn’t have a problem with u, did they ?? ?

 **samurai** : I mean, no

 **samurai** : but it’s different

 **sharpshooter** : bc ur not purple and fuzzy, u mean?

 **samurai** : because I’m half human and come across as pretty much totally human, yes

 **samurai** : people get wigged out by her and Kolivan and the other Blades, I just don’t want to bring her if it’s gonna make people weird, alright?

 **samurai** : she doesn’t deserve that

 **sharpshooter** : dude, breathe

 **sharpshooter** : r u breathing???

 **sharpshooter** : I feel like ur not breathing

 **samurai** : of course I’m breathing, lance

 **sharpshooter** : ok, I’m just checking

 **sharpshooter** : and look, my family’s not like that

 **sharpshooter** : they don’t care about that stuff, they know better than that

 **sharpshooter** : generalizing like that is very small-minded of people, and it sucks, but it happens, and sometimes u just gotta shoulder through it until ur in a spot to make a change, y’know?

 **samurai** : … speaking from experience?

 **sharpshooter** : I mean

 **sharpshooter** : yeah

 **sharpshooter** : I come from a relatively low-income family of Cuban farmers, mullet

 **sharpshooter** : I didn’t come to America for the first time until I was nearly nine, and my english wasn’t all that great

 **sharpshooter** : and maybe people weren’t grouping me into this huge genocidal, warmongering alien race, but

 **sharpshooter** : racism is racism, my guy

 **sharpshooter** : and I’m not tryna make light of it by saying it like that??? bc it’s terrible and a huge issue and needs to be addressed and discussed, I’m just

 **sharpshooter** : saying that I get it, is all

 **sharpshooter** : to an extent, at least

 **samurai** : …oh

 **sharpshooter** : yeah

 **samurai** : lance?

 **sharpshooter** : mhmmmm?

 **samurai** : I’m really sorry you ever had to deal with that

 **samurai** : it’s not right

 **sharpshooter** : no, it’s not, but u don’t have to apologize for it

 **sharpshooter** : what matters is that I love my family, and I’m proud of them, and I’m proud of who I am and where I come from

 **sharpshooter** : and u should be, too, u kno?

 **samurai** : I

 **samurai** : yeah, lance

 **samurai** : I know

 **sharpshooter** : and mullet?

 **samurai** : yeah?

 **sharpshooter** : on the risk of being too sappy, I’m really glad u found ur mom

 **sharpshooter** : I'm not sure I told u that yet, but u seem a lot happier lately, and it’s nice

 **sharpshooter** : u deserve to be happy

 **samurai** : ….thanks, lance

 **samurai** : it’s still weird sometimes, but I feel a lot lighter, I think

 **sharpshooter** : care to elaborate, dearest mullet?

 **samurai** : I

 **samurai** : I just

 **samurai** : I always had questions? and I think they weighed me down a lot, especially after the trials

 **sharpshooter:** u mean when u got filleted by alien ninjas

 **samurai** : I

 **samurai** : yeah

 **samurai** : but now I don’t really have them anymore, or as many of them at least, and the ones I do have still I have someone who can answer them? I guess? And I just

 **samurai** : I feel

 **sharpshooter** : …lighter?

 **samurai** : yeah

 **samurai** : sorry, that probably sounds really stupid huh?

 **sharpshooter** : god, no, keith

 **sharpshooter** : it’s actually really sweet

 **samurai** :  … oh

 **sharpshooter** : ur not nearly as angsty as u used to be

 **sharpshooter** : like u still have terrible social skills and a perpetual phobia of laughing, or smth

 **sharpshooter** : but I think I’ve seen u smile like twice this week, and that’s progress

 **samurai** : and…. moment’s ruined

 **sharpshooter** : aww c’mon man

 **sharpshooter** : we’re ~bonding~

 **samurai** : nope, we’re done here

 **samurai** : goodbye, lance

 **sharpshooter** : goodbye, oh fearless leader

 **sharpshooter** : sweet dreams! 

 **samurai** : I

 **samurai** : yeah

 **samurai** : you too, lance

 **sharpshooter** : :)

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> sooooo 'bout that season 8... 
> 
> since this chat-fic is technically (mostly) compliant through the end of season 7, imma just. pretend this is what's happening in season 8. this will now be my season 8 fix-it fic, in the form of group chats. I guess that's how it be sometimes. 
> 
> maybe i'll incorporate the parts of season 8 that I liked, maybe I'll keep it strictly fanon and ignore everything canon past season 7, i don't know yet. For now this is just gonna be fun, post-war, reacquainting-with-life-on-Earth nonsense ٩(^ᴗ^)۶


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> griffindork: you’re saying your biological mom is…?  
> angryboi: an alien, yes  
> griffindork: which makes you…?  
> angryboi: half alien?  
> angryboi: why does this feel like coming out all over again  
> 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> so no beach quite yet
> 
> hopefully the ~4k word chapter makes up for it
> 
> also say hello to MFE friends

8:22AM

 **fancypants** —> _Touristpalooza_

 

 **fancypants** : RISE AND SHINE BEANCHES

 **fancypants:** THE CAST IS OFF, MY LEG IS FREE, IM READY TO GET MY BEACH ON

 **fancypants:** WAKE UP WAKE UP WAKE UP WAKE UP WAKE UP

 **fancypants** : WAKE

 **fancypants** : UP

 **fancypants** : WAKE

 **fancypants** : UP

 **fancypants** : W A K E

 **hunkofmylife** : lance, my guy

 **fancypants** : U P P pP pP Ppp Pp Ppp P P ppP pP P P

 **fancypants** : WAKE

 **hunkofmylife** : we’re awake

 **pidgeotto** : jfc lance

 **fancypants** : UP

 **pidgeotto** : it’s way too early for you to be scream texting at us

 **Space Dad(TM)** : We’re eating breakfast, bud. Come on down to the kitchen and grab something before we go.

 **fancypants** : OK DAD IM COMING

 **pidgeotto** : I already have a headache and the day hasn’t even started

 **fancypants** : ALSO GUYS

 **fancypants** : JSYK

 **fancypants** : THE MFES ARE COMING W US

 **fancypants** : also im done with the caps

 **bitterboi** : …what did you say?

 **fancypants** : that I’m done w the “all caps” thing???? I can see how it could be annoying :(

 **fancypants** : srry pidgey

 **pidgeotto** : its okat we still tolerate you

 **fancypants** : :D

 **hunkofmylife** : okat

 **pidgeotto** : shove it hunk

 **pidgeotto** : my fingers are still sleeping

 **fancypants** : hey dont talk to my precious son like that u lil gremlin

 **fancypants** : u wanna go, u wanna throw hands w me

 **hunkofmylife** : my money’s on pidge

 **fancypants** : whaat!

 **fancypants** : the betrayal!! ! from my soulmate!!

 **hunkofmylife** : sorry, buddy

 **hunkofmylife** : she’s tiny, she’ll go for your knees and you’ll be down in 3 seconds flat

 **pidgeotto** : small but mighty, I like to say

 **fancypants** : HELL YES U R PIDGEY

 **fancypants** : so h*ckin mighty

 **fancypants** : id put my money on u to

 **pidgeotto** : *too

 **fancypants** : **middle finger emoji**

 **bitterboi** : wait hold on

 **bitterboi** : rewind

 **bitterboi** : I’m still on the whole “MFEs are coming” deal?

 **bitterboi** : why are you bringing them?

 **fancypants** : bc they’re ronnie’s friends nd they’ve spent the past like whateverish years defending the earth against the galra while we’ve been up in space putting on air shows??????

 **bitterboi** : first of all, speak for yourself

 **bitterboi** : I never wasted time putting on air shows

 **fancypants** : ok sure bc u left us to go on a field trip with ninja assassins???? then poor poor allura had to play ur emo butt and no one had a good time

 **bitterboi** : I’m… electing to ignore that comment

 **fancypants** : u can’t ignore me

 **fancypants** : I will not be silenced!!!!

 **fancypants** : I /willn’t/ be silenced, if u will

 **bitterboi** : no I willn’t

 **pidgeotto** : WON’T, PEOPLE

 **pidgeotto** : THERE’S A WORD FOR WHAT YOU’RE SAYING AND IT’S “WON’T”

 **fancypants** : mmm nah

 **bitterboi** : …anyways

 **bitterboi** : second, I get appreciating them for keeping Earth safe when we couldn’t, but don’t downplay everything we’ve been through while we’ve been away

 **bitterboi** : it’s not like we were just hanging out in space for the hell of it, we were at war

 **fancypants** : duly noted, go on

 **bitterboi** : and third

 **bitterboi** : ….at least tell me james isn’t coming

 **fancypants** : james is coming

 **bitterboi** : jesus

 **hunkofmylife** : do you really hate him that much, Keith?

 **fancypants** : yeah, what’d he ever do to u anyways

 **fancypants** : did he rip ur fingerless gloves or smth

 **bitterboi** : I don’t hate him, he’s just

 **bitterboi** : he’s so

 **bitterboi** : we just don’t get along, alright?

 **pidgeotto** : does this have anything to do with that time you went all fight club on him after that simulator run

 **bitterboi** :

 **bitterboi** : how do you know about that

 **bitterboi** : you weren’t even at the Garrison at that point?

 **pidgeotto** : I know all >:)

 **fancypants** : that’s my terrifying, mighty lil best friend

 **pidgeotto** : come eat breakfast or I’m gonna find you and whip frozen waffles at your face

 **fancypants** : I don’t doubt it

 **fancypants** : but srsly @bitterboi u need to let us know,,,,

 **fancypants** : will we need to be damage control or r u gonna play nice with james

 **bitterboi** : I’m not a child, I don’t need a babysitter

 **fancypants** : that doesn’t sound like an annnnnnsweeeerrrrrrrrr

 **bitterboi** : …I’ll be civil

 **bitterboi** : I make no promises about griffin, though

 **fancypants** : that’s fair

 **fancypants** : speaking of which!!!

 

 

 

** **fancypants** added **bitterboi, Space Dad(TM), Princess, Coranic, hunkofmylife, pidgeotto, vip, KINKade, leafdot, itsjames,** and **nadizavi** to the group**

** **fancypants** named the group _beach babes_ **

 

8:28AM

 **fancypants** : hello beautiful ppl

 **fancypants** : it is Adventure Time

 **Princess** : Oh, hello MFEs!

 **Princess** : And Veronica!

 **leafdot** : Good morning, Princess.

 **vip** : hello, princess!

 **KINKade** : hi, princess

 **nadizavi** : heyyyyy allura

 **itsjames** : ….really, rizavi?

 **nadizavi** : oh relax, it’s just allura

 **itsjames** : SHE’S ROYALTY

 **Princess** : It’s quite alright, James! There’s really no need to be so formal.

 **Princess** : We are all friends here, after all.

 **itsjames** : doesn’t matter

** **itsjames** changed **Princess** ’s name to **QUEEN** **

** **bitterboi** changed **itsjames** ’s name to **suckup** **

 **suckup** : who is “bitterboi”?

 **pidgeotto** : take a guess

 **suckup** : ….kogane?

 **bitterboi** : griffin.

 **suckup** : great

 **suckup** : remember that time you nearly broke my jaw? we should talk about that

 **bitterboi** : remember that time you mocked my nonexistant parents? we should talk about that

 **fancypants** : um exCUSE ME

 **hunkofmylife** : he did what???

 **suckup** : I ! didn’t ! know !

 **bitterboi** : whatever you gotta tell yourself to feel better, I guess

 **Space Dad(TM)** : Knock it off, you two.

 **Space Dad(TM)** : It’s too early for this kind of aggression.

 **suckup** : ….Captain Shirogane?

 **Space Dad(TM)** : Shiro is fine, lieutenant.

 **suckup** : I

 **suckup** : Sorry, Captain.

 **suckup** : Um. Shiro.

 **nadizavi** : smooth, jimbo

 **nadizavi** : real smooth

** **bitterboi** changed **suckup** ’s name to **SUCKUP** **

** **fancypants** changed **SUCKUP** ’s name to **griffindor** **

 **fancypants** : CHILDREN BEHAVE

** **bitterboi** changed **fancypants** ’s name to **funpolice** **

** **griffindor** changed **bitterboi** ’s name to **dropout** **

** **funpolice** changed **griffindor** ’s name to **unnecessarilyhostile** **

** **funpolice** changed **droupout** ’s name to **keef** **

** **funpolice** changed their name to **lanceylance** **

 **lanceylance** : sTOP  IT RN OR I S2G I WILL TURN THIS CAR AROUND

** **unnecessarilyhostile** changed their name to **griffindor** **

** **keef** changed **griffindor** ’s name to **griffindork** **

 **griffindork** : fucking fight me, kogane

 **keef** : sorry I don’t like to hit privileged white boys

 **keef** : I learned from experience that they tend to be really sensitive about that kind of thing

** **nadizavi** changed **keef** ’s name to **angryboi** **

 **griffindork** : we were like thirteen, man

 **griffindork** : let it go

 **pidgeotto** : this chat is a fucking mess and it’s been less than five minutes

 **vip** : leandro look what you did

 **lanceylance** : @vip in my defense I was promised civility

 **lanceylance** : @everyone mostly this chat is just to let u know that we’re leaving soon, there’s too many ppl here for my brain to keep up

 **lanceylance** : so come shove some food in ur faces if u haven’t yet

 **lanceylance** : and stop being mean and angry

 **lanceylance** : it is ~~ ~ ~vacation day~ ~~~~ and if u ruin it my lion will eat u

 **lanceylance** : :)

 **hunkofmylife** : lance come shove food in your face too

 **hunkofmylife** : pidge is gathering her ammo as we speak

 **lanceylance** : I’M  C O M I N G

 **nadizavi** : that’s what he said

 **vip** : nadia stop that

 **vip:** that’s my little brother

 **nadizavi** :  you know I had to do it to him

 **vip** : :///

 **nadizavi** : you love me and you know it v

 **nadizavi** : don’t play games

 **vip** : mmmmmmmmmmm sure

 **vip** : whatever you say

 

 

8:33AM

 **ale-alejandro** —> **ronnietonica**

**ale-alejandro** : give me updaets

 **ronnietonica** : …like?

 **ale-alejandro** : like what the deal is with rizavi

 **ronnietonica** : what do you mean?

 **ronnietonica** : she’s my friend??

 **ale-alejandro** : mhmm sure but, like,,,

 **ale-alejandro** : ur friend or ur /friend/ friend

 **ale-alejandro** : I saw u training together last night and lemme tell u

 **ale-alejandro** : from one bi boi to another

 **ale-alejandro** : ain’t nothin platonic about that

 **ronnietonica** : c’mon, hermanito

 **ronnietonica** : there’s nothing there

 **ale-alejandro** : ok but,,,, do u want there to be something there ?

 **ronnietonica** : is that important?

 **ale-alejandro** : y E A  S

 **ale-alejandro** : ur happiness is V E R  Y     I M P O R T A NT

 **ale-alejandro** : unless it wasn’t rizavi u’ve been making googley eyes at??

 **ronnietonica** : you’re relentless

 **ale-alejandro** : thank u

 **ale-alejandro** : but u can’t tell me I’m wrong, can u???

 **ale-alejandro** : unless it WAS someone else, but the only other person u were training with was acxa, and there’s noooo way u’d be into her lmao

 **ronnietonica** : ….

 **ronnietonica** : …

 **ronnietonica** : I

 **ale-alejandro** : OH MY GOD UR INTO ACXA

 **ronnietonica** : I’m not!!

 **ale-alejandro** : U TOTALLY ARE

 **ale-alejandro** : omg this is fantastic

 **ronnietonica** : callate, hermanito, stop it!

 **ale-alejandro** : NO

 **ale-alejandro** : wait so u like acxa and not rizavi?? I coulda sword I saw u give her bedroom eyes one time

 **ronnietonica** : I

 **ale-alejandro** : U LIKE THEM BOTH DON’T U

 **ale-alejandro** : omg ronnie, this is the best day /ever/

 **ale-alejandro** : u should make a move!!!

 **ale-alejandro** : go get u some ladiesssss

 **ronnietonica** : oh, you’re one to talk about ‘making a move’

 **ronnietonica** : how is keith doing anyways?

 **ale-alejandro** : ….

 **ale-alejandro** : ..,,,,

 **ale-alejandro** : ,,,s,,s,,,s,, g2g

 **ronnietonica** : that’s what I thought

 **ronnietonica** : and if you tell anyone about this, I swear to god leandro, I will shave your head in your sleep and lace your facewash with crisco

 **ale-alejandro** : no my sKIN

 **ale-alejandro** : U WOULDN’T DARE

 **ronnietonica** : try me, bitch

 

* * * * * * * * *

 

When Lance finally shuffled through the Atlas’s sliding kitchen doors, there was a fierce pink tinging his cheeks as he rounded the counter, sinking down to a barstool and pointedly avoiding eye contact.

“Glad you could make it,” Shiro commented dryly, and Pidge grumbled something about a foiled ambush as she stomped her way towards the freezer, returning the waffles she had collected to their proper home.

 

* * * * * * * * *

 

8:40AM

 **pidgeotto** —> _beach babes_

**pidgeotto** : okay guys, I did out the calculations and we’ll get the best load-per-ship efficiency if we split up and take the Red and Black Lions to Cuba

 **pidgeotto** : Red’s the fastest but pretty small, and Black’s the biggest and kinda slow

 **angryboi** : don’t trash talk my lion

 **pidgeotto** : buuuuuut with Darkness Personified over here at the helm, she moves pretty well

 **angryboi** : that’s better

 **pidgeotto** : we should all be able to fit between the two lions’ cockpits? the cargo holds are all full at the moment so we’ll probably have to squish

 **pidgeotto** : the trip shouldn’t take more than a few minutes though, so we can deal if it’s a little cramped, and then we can send the lions back to the Atlas afterwards

 **vip** : I call going in Red with dearest lancito

 **lanceylance** : ew no go away

 **nadizavi:** if v’s going in red, I wanna go in red too!

 **nadizavi** : :)

 **vip** : :))

 **QUEEN** : Romelle and I can come in the Red Lion, as well!

 **lanceylance** : ladies, ladies please

 **lanceylance** : there’s enough of me to go around

 **QUEEN** : …Romelle says she’s changed her mind, and would like to go with Keith instead.

 **angryboi** : HA

 **angryboi** : take that, sharpshooter

 **QUEEN** : Coran would like to go with you, though, Lance!

 **lanceylance** : romelle,,,, the betrayal

 **lanceylance** : form my own c  h i l d

 **vip** : form

 **nadizavi** : form

 **pidgeotto** : form

 **hunkofmylife** : form

 **angryboi** : form

 **griffindork** : form

 **Space Dad(TM)** : Form Voltron?

 **angryboi** : shut up shiro that’s my line now

 **Space Dad(TM)** : :(

 **lanceylance** : I came out to have a good time nd i’m honestly feeling so attacked rn???

 **Space Dad(TM)** : ^^^

 **griffindork** : also

 **angryboi** : here we go

 **griffindork** : is anyone else seeing an issue with taking giant robotic lions for a beach day?

 **griffindork** : won’t that be a little bit of a spectacle

 **pidgeotto** : I was able to transfer over the cloaking mechanisms I developed for Green to the rest of the Lions now that we have access to more resources

 **pidgeotto** : so, no, shouldn’t be a problem

 **griffindork** : …fair enough

 **Space Dad(TM)** : I’ll go with Keith in the Black Lion, as well.

 **leafdot:** Me too.

 **KINKade** : I’ll go with mcclain, I wanna ask him about that rifle he uses

 **lanceylance** : ryan, I think this could the start of a b-e-a-utiful friendship

 **lanceylance** : &that’s 6 in red, and as much as I adore and believe in milady, I don’t think she’ll be able to fit more????

 **lanceylance** : which means griffin ur w mullethead

 **griffindork** : I can squeeze in the cargo hold

 **lanceylance** : mmmmmm nah

 **griffindork** : the engine room?

 **lanceylance** : not sure the lions even have those, dude

 **griffindork** : what do you mean they don’t have engine rooms? how else would they function?

 **lanceylance** : uhhhhh space magic? ? ??? ? duh

 **lanceylance** : ok so james you’ll be in black w keith its decided ok OK

 **lanceylance** : and I assume krolia and kosmo will, as well

 **angryboi** : yeah

 **pidgeotto** : oooh, if Krolia’s going with Keith, I’m definitely down to go in Black too

 **angryboi** : ….can I ask why?

 **pidgeotto** : because she’s badass and incredible and I haven’t talked to her in so long and I miss her

 **angryboi** : do you… talk to Krolia often?

 **pidgeotto** : of course I do

 **angryboi** : about what?!

 **pidgeotto** : don’t worry about it, keith

 **vip** : wait wait wait, I’m sorry, who?

 **vip** : who are we talking about?

 **griffindork** : kosmo’s the wolf, right? the cosmic, teleporting space wolf?

 **angryboi** : his name isn’t kosmo, but yes

 **lanceylance** : his name is totally kosmo

 **lanceylance** : keith’s just lying

 **lanceylance** : u know, like a LIAR

 **angryboi** : seriously, lance? we’re doing this again?

 **lanceylance** : srry I lost the ability to read again whoopsies

 **angryboi** : you’re ridiculous

 **lanceylance** : I know u r but what am i???

 **angryboi** : an idiot

 **pidgeotto** : hey dumb and dumber

 **pidgeotto** : stop flirting and kiss already

 **lanceylance** : sidfholnkngwb agkjsndvgsieg peoikgl a

 **lanceylance** : I am not /flirting/

 **lanceylance** : keith would be so lucky

 

 

8:46AM

 **mothman** —> **one-armed-wonder**

**mothman** : shiro are you there

 **one-armed-wonder** : Keith, I’m sitting five feet away from you. You know I am.

 **mothman** : then HELP ME

 **one-armed-wonder** : I’m quite enjoying the show, actually.

 **mothman** : “keith would be so lucky”

 **mothman** : shiro

 **mothman** : shiro I   w o u l d   be so lucky

 **one-armed-wonder** : I can’t believe I raised a disaster gay.

 **mothman** : takes one to know one

 **one-armed-wonder** : At least I’m a disaster that’s gotten laid.

 **mothman** : uh yeah if you could fuck the entire way off, that’d be great, thanks

 **one-armed-wonder** : Well am I wrong?

 **mothman** : what kind of slander is this

 **mothman** : what kind of person allows others to suffer like this

 **one-armed-wonder** : Every older brother ever?

 **mothman** : hnnnnggggggg

 **mothman** : I should’ve left you in the astral plane

 **one-armed-wonder** : ;)

 

 

8:48AM

 **lanceylance** —> _beach babes_

 

 **lanceylance** : o no, mullet and dad are doing that thing again

 **hunkofmylife** : thing???

 **lanceylance** : yeah

 **lanceylance** : that thing where they type furiously at each other and keep sending each other /looks/ like they’re planning world domination or smth

 **angryboi** : how do you know we aren’t?

 **lanceylance** : bc shiro is a Tired Dad(TM) and ur a soft little marshmallow on the inside and could never

 ****Space Dad(TM)** changed their name to **Tired Dad(TM)** **

 **angryboi** : hey lance

 **angryboi** : bite me

 **lanceylance** : mmmmm don’t tempt me

 **angryboi** :

 **lanceylance** :

 **angryboi** :

 **lanceylance** :

 **angryboi** :

 **griffindork** : ….alrighty

 **griffindork:** ignoring whatever weirdness that was

 **griffindork** : someone mind sharing who krolia is or are we just gonna guess

 **angryboi** : she’s my mother

 **vip** : your

 **vip** : mother?

 **angryboi** : mhm

 **griffindork** : I, uh, thought

 **griffindork** : I thought you were an orphan?

 **angryboi** : I was

 **angryboi** : now I’m not

 **vip** : wild

 **nadizavi** : trippy

 **hunkofmylife** : wait until you meet her, it gets trippier

 **griffindork** : wait, I

 **griffindork** : have questions?

 **griffindork** : like, so many of them

 **angryboi** : no thank you

 **griffindork** : where has she been? is she here? at the Garrison?

 **angryboi** : alright I guess you’re asking anyways

 **angryboi** : she’s been here since Voltron took down that robeast and we all plummeted to our near-deaths

 **lanceylance** : good times

 **lanceylance** : u def saw her around, at some point

 **KINKade** : we have?

 **lanceylance** : yahh

 **lanceylance** : overprotective alien lady? likes to hover?

 **lanceylance** : she’s like 7ft tall and purple, she’s kinda hard to miss

 **griffindork** : oh, the Galran woman? the Blade of Marmora leader?

 **angryboi** : yeah

 **griffindork** : oh

 **griffindork** : god, I gotta hand it to you, kogane, you really had me going there for a second

 **griffindork** : getting everyone in on it, that was clever

 **angryboi** : I… what?

 **griffindork** : lmao what was your story going to be? did you join some kind of “adopt an alien” program out in space or something

 **angryboi** : I

 **angryboi** : no?

 **angryboi** : she’s my actual mother

 **angryboi** : like, biologically

 **griffindork** : right, and I turn into a pumpkin if I’m out after midnight

 **angryboi** : … I feel like there’s something I’m missing here

 **lanceylance** : yah, a lifetime’s worth of pop culture references

 **lanceylance** : they’re prob just gettin tangled and lost forever in that stupid mullet

 **angryboi** : again with the hair?

 **lanceylance** : cut it!!!!!

 **angryboi** : no!

 **lanceylance** : C U T   I T

 **angryboi** : no!!!

 **hunkofmylife** : kids please

 **hunkofmylife** : we love each other in this household

 **vip** : leandro, leave him alone

 **angryboi** : HA

 **lanceylance** : betrayed by my own blood

 **griffindork** : wait, I’m sorry, can we go back for a sec

 **griffindork** : you’re saying your biological mom is…?

 **angryboi** : an alien, yes

 **griffindork** : which makes you...?

 **angryboi** : half alien?

 **nadizavi** : wow you guys really don’t keep up with the tea do you

 **nadizavi** : this has all been? common knowledge, I think, for a while

 **angryboi** : it has

 **angryboi** : also why does this feel like coming out all over again

 **angryboi** : I promise you, it’s really not that difficult

 **griffindork** : wait, you’re gay AND half alien???

 **nadizavi** : (attachment_01: themoreyouknow.gif)

 **lanceylance** : excellent timing, rizavi

 **nadizavi** : thank you, thank you

 **griffindork** : but

 **griffindork** : how????

 **lanceylance** : well, u see james

 **lanceylance** : when two people love each other very much

 **angryboi** : NOPE

 **angryboi** : not going there

 **angryboi** : we’re done with this conversation

 **angryboi** : MFEs, meet us in the hangar in 20 minutes or we’re leaving without you

 **nadizavi** : r00d

 **KINKade** : rude

 **leafdot** : Rude.

 **angryboi** : well, okay, maybe not all of you

 **angryboi** : we’ll just leave without griffin

 **griffindork** : r00d

 **angryboi** : get over it

 

 

8:41AM

 **jimbo** —> s _EFM_

 

 **jimbo** : someone switch with me

 **jimbo** : rizavi? please?

 **thebestpilot** : mm nah

 **jimbo** : ryan?

 **kinky** : no thanks.

 **jimbo** : guys

 **jimbo** : please don’t let me be locked away in some kind of metal cat with keith kogane’s alien mother

 **jimbo** : she will literally kill me

 **lettuceleaf** : Just because she is Galran does not necessarily mean she wishes any harm upon you.

 **lettuceleaf** : Believing so doesn’t seem very fair? The Blade of Marmora was a huge asset in ridding Earth of the Empire’s forces, after all.

 **jimbo** : it’s not the fact that she’s galra that I’m worried about, ina

 **jimbo** : it’s the fact that keith and I were terrible to each other at the garrison (read: I was a Certifiable Asshole), and if she knows what happened, she’s gonna want my head to mount on her wall

 **kinky** : oh yeah, she definitely wants you dead

 **thebestpilot** : rip you I guess

 **kinky** : rip

 **lettuceleaf** : RIP

 **v** : rip

 **jimbo** : rip

 

*******

 

“Ah.” Hard, steely yellow eyes settled on him as he made his way up the ramp to the Black Lion. “You are the one who mocks orphaned children, yes?”

And—of course. Of course he told her.

From James’ flank, he heard someone muffle a snort of laughter, and he opened his mouth only to snap it shut again. What was he supposed to say to that? He couldn’t say _yes_ —but he also couldn’t exactly say _no_. Saying _I’ve changed since then_ was too cliché, and he cringed at the thought. She’d probably skin him alive for a comment like that.

“I—” he stammered out, but didn’t get a chance to finish when the body attached to the muffled snort appeared at his side.

“Krolia, this is James Griffin,” Keith introduced, and again, James forced his mouth shut. “He’s the lead MFE pilot.”

Hesitantly, James held out a hand.  Krolia’s arched an eyebrow at him, unimpressed, and looked him up and down.

It was startling, to see them next to each other like this, to see all the similarities they shared. The fact that she looked like a taller, pointier, purple version of Keith wasn’t as shocking as it probably ought have been, but...

…Keith had always seemed a bit less human than the other kids. He hadn’t been able to pin it, back then, but there was always something _off_. Looking at Krolia now, everything made so much more sense.

Still watching him, the alien narrowed her eyes slightly without accepting his proffered hand. “Just to be clear: if you so much as think about harming him again, I will use my blade to cut that tongue from your face and I will feed it to our wolf for dinner. Do you understand?”

Ah. So the temper was genetic.

James paled, muscles locking in place and unable to move, unable to pull his hand away from where he’d kept it extended despite how desperately he wished to.

“ _Mom,”_ Keith got out, almost a whine, “you can’t—you can’t just…”

Krolia shifted her gaze to him, a single eyebrow still raised.

Keith shut his mouth. Exchanged a long glance with his mother, a wordless argument, before wincing and looking back to James.

He shrugged slightly. “Sorry?” he offered, like a question.

James swallowed, and Krolia spoke again. “James Griffin,” she said, looking satisfied at what James could only imagine was the look of terror on his face, and reached out to grip at his forearm—a Galran gesture of greeting. “It is nice to meet you.”

Her fingers tightened slightly around his arm, though in a way that was surprisingly gentle, considering the deadly-looking claws that tipped them. He squeezed back a little, swallowing his heart back down from where it had made its way into his throat. “Y-yeah,” he managed, ducking his head into a slightly nod. “Yeah, you too, ma’am.”

 

 

8:55AM

 **pidgeotto** —> _Touristpalooza_

**pidgeotto** : keith your mother is a fucking ICON

 **pidgeotto** : i??? love her so much????

 **bitterboi** : Pidge. This is Krolia. I have taken Keith’s communicator to let you know that I am fond of you as well, and if anything were to happen to you, I would kill everyone in this room and then myself.

 **bitterboi** : Except for Keith, since he is my son and I love him.

 **fancypants** : I’M CHOKING

 **pidgeotto** : KROLIA I’VE TAUGHT YOU SO WELL

 **bitterboi** : I am giving the communicator back to Keith now. When you get to the Black Lion’s cockpit, I’d like to speak with you about the data Kolivan has collected from the Krelax-59 system just beyond Olkarion. I believe there may be some channel encryption techniques that, if we can decode their routing algorithms correctly, could help us establish more secure broadcasting systems.

 **pidgeotto** : oooo yeah I’ll be right up!

 **fancypants** : nOnoOOOOnOONONONOOOoooOOoOOoOOOooOOoOOOooooo

 **fancypants** : no working

 **fancypants** : /VACATION DAY/

 **pidgeotto** : but laaaaaaaance

 **pidgeotto** : communication routing systems decryptions are so funnn

 **fancypants** : no

 **pidgeotto** : overruled

 **bitterboi** : pidge did you teach Krolia memes

 **pidgeotto** : indeed

 **bitterboi** : why??

 **pidgeotto** : sharing the wealth my man

 **bitterboi** :

 **bitterboi** :

 **bitterboi** : alright then

 **bitterboi** : we ready to go?

 **hunkofmylife** : Romelle and I are set!

 **QUEEN** : All set on our end as well!

 **fancypants** : a little squashed, but we gucci gang

 **bitterboi** : alright team, let’s head out

 **bitterbo** i **:** lance, you take lead

 **fancypants** : yaasssssss

 **fancypants** : VAMANOS

 **fancypants** : WE GO

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ok beach next time I promise, ft. pining keith, sun god lance, sand castles, krolia, broganes, and of course a dash of good old fashioned gay panic


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “It isn’t fair,” Keith muttered, glaring across the sand and gesturing towards the others. “Two hours in the sun and I already look like a fucking tomato, and he looks like that.” 
> 
> (or the team goes to the beach)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> so most of the chapter isn't in gc format but... here we are

“ _Whoa._ ”

Lance grinned at the awestruck voice, squeezing his way between bodies in an attempt to reach the front of the crowd. “Is that—it _can’t_ be,” he teased as he broke free, watching the boy on the stoop light up as he caught sight of him. “That can’t be him, this kid’s way too big.”

“Tío Leo!” Sylvio cheered, promptly vaulting himself into Lance’s arms. “It _is_ you!”

Small arms wound tightly around Lance’s neck as the boy clung to him, and Lance steadied his grip, hoisting him up properly and returning the hug. “Hey, kiddo,” he murmured into short hair, rubbing Sylvio’s back. “How’s mi sobrino favorito?”

Sylvio giggled, pulling back just enough to poke Lance in the cheek. “I’m your _only_ nephew, Tío.”

“And thus my favorite, by default.” Lance paused, bending his knees and bouncing up, twice. “When did you get so big? Who allowed this?”

“I saw you like two weeks ago, Tio. Pretty sure I didn’t grow since then.”

“Um,” Lance countered, “ _pretty sure you did._ You’re practically an adult now, mijo.”

Sylvio rolled his eyes before squirming slightly to twist and regard the rest of the crowd. His eyes grew wide like saucers as they scanned them over. “Tío, you brought…. _so many_ space friends.”

Lance grinned, nodding, and mussed his hair up. “Pop quiz?”

In his arms, the boy groaned. “I’m going to _fail_ ,” he whined. “I haven’t even met all of these people yet!”

“You met the team, back at Garrison medical,” Lance reminded him, shrugging, but Sylvio just wrinkled his nose.

“The only person I remember from that is Keith,” he admitted, and glanced toward aforementioned mullet with a small grin and a wave. Keith seemed startled at the attention, for a beat, before offering his own small wave, the corner of his mouth twitching up ever-so-slightly.

Lance spluttered at the admittance. “ _Keith?”_ he choked out, and the smile ghosting on Keith’s face dropped, narrowing his eyes at Lance. Lance plowed forward. “Out of everyone to remember, why _Keith_?”

Sylvio hesitated, before turning in Lance’s arms to face him again and leaning closer, as if preparing to tell a very important secret. He lifted a hand, half-covering his mouth. “He’s an _alien,_ Tío,” he whispered, not-at-all subtly, and someone in the crowd snorted a laugh. Lance figured it was probably Shiro, or maybe even Krolia.  “That’s _so cool_?”

Lance narrowed his eyes at the boy. “Did he pay you to say that?” He flicked his glare towards Keith. “Are you bribing my baby nephew to think you’re _cool_?”

Keith held his hands up in a show of innocence, though there was a glint of satisfaction in his eyes as he did. “Didn’t need to,” he assured. “Apparently I’m cool by nature.”

Lance looked back to Sylvio, desperate. “Allura’s an alien, too—so are Coran and Romelle. You couldn’t have remembered one of them? The Alteans? They’re more alien than mullethead is. As in, they’re _actual_ aliens, from another planet. Keith’s from Texas, which is, arguably, the least cool place to be from.”

“Well,” Sylvio qualified, shifting, “ _yeah,_ but. Keith’s like me, which makes him cooler.”

“I hate to break it to you, papito, but you’re not an alien.”

“Noooo,” Slyvio drawled, “but I’m half Cuban, and half Floridian. So he’s like me, which makes him cool.”

Lance rolled his eyes, because the whole ‘ _your mamá is Puerto Rican, but she grew up in Florida_ ’ thing has never quite clicked with the boy.

Slyvio kept on regardless.  “Plus, he flies the Black Lion, which is the coolest—” Lance balked at that, offended, while Keith smirked, “— _and_ he uses a sword, which is so—”

“—cool,” Lance muttered, glowering.

“—right, yeah! And he has a pet _wolf,_ a blue alien wolf, and that’s _so so so—”_

“—cool,” Lance supplied, “yeah, I got it.”

“Like—the _coolest,_ Tío.”

 “Yeah,” Lance grunted, promptly flipping Sylvio upside down and slinging him over a shoulder, “I got it, sobrino _._ ”

The boy let out a half-cackle, half squeal, covering his face with his hands as he laughed.  “Stoooop, Tio,” he giggled, “you’re gonna drop me! I’m too big!” 

Lance bent his knees, hoisting him more securely over his shoulder, grasping the small ankles more firmly. “Never,” he assured. “Now—where is your abuelita? She’ll know what’s up. She’ll have my back, you’ll see. My own mother would never stand for such betrayal.”

From where he hung, Sylvio reached up in an attempt to pat Lance’s head placatingly. “Don’t worry, Tío Leo,” he assured, “you may not be the coolest, but you’re still my favorite.”

Lance turned on his heel, stalking inside and shaking his head. “Not good enough, niño. I will not be out-cooled by a man with a mullet.”

Sylvio sighed, letting himself hang limply over Lance’s shoulder in defeat. “Why are you like this?”

“Your papá once forced me to eat one of Domingo’s dog cookies and I’ve never been the same.”

Sylvio’s face twisted. “You’re not making yourself sound cooler.”

“I changed your diapers, you little insect.”

“That doesn’t make you cool, that just makes you _old._ ”

Lance squawked, indignant.

*******

 

“It isn’t fair _,”_ Keith muttered, glaring across the sand and gesturing towards the others. “Two hours in the sun and I already look like a fucking tomato, and he looks like _that._ ”  

Like long bronze limbs and dark freckles, dusted across his nose and cheeks and wide, defined swimmer’s shoulders. Like miles of smooth, dewy skin and flashes of bright white teeth as he laughed. Like saltwater-curled hair glinting shades of gold under the sun. Like some kind of godly, divine creature, so full of grace and beauty and sunlight that Keith almost didn’t want to look. He felt so small, so unworthy of his radiance.

Keith knew, he understood, _they were in Lance’s territory, Lance’s home turf,_ but—

Seriously? Who gave him the right to _look like that?_

A chuckle from his flank drew him back, and he craned his neck towards its source, squinting through the morning sun. Shiro sent him a grin, passing him a water from the cooler before sinking down to the towel beside him. “I’m sure Lance thinks you’re a cute tomato, though,” he teased easily, and Keith groaned, flicking condensation from the bottle at him.

“Not helping.”

“But it’s hard to tell,” Shiro continued, unbothered, rubbing the droplets into his own pinkening skin, “where the sunburn stops, and the blushing begins.”

“Not _helping,_ Shiro _.”_

“Sure I am.” A beat passed. “Drink that before you pass out. It’s really hot out here.”

Keith scoffed, waving it slightly in front of Shiro’s face. “I just had one of these ten minutes ago _._ I’m not going to pass out.”

“You’re right,” Shiro agreed, “you’re not. Because you’re going to drink the water. And _before you say anything,_ ” he added quickly, holding a hand up, “I don’t want to hear it. I’m not letting you fall into another coma because you’re stubborn _._ ”

Keith threw his hands up. “It wasn’t that bad—”

“ _Eight days,_ Keith. Eight.”

“From getting the life force sucked out of me by some giant magical alien mech _._ Not from abstaining from water for like, an hour.”

“Drink it.”

“I’m gonna train Kosmo to play fetch with your stupid floating arm.”

“ _Drink the water.”_

“Oh my god,” Keith muttered, and looked Shiro pointedly in the eye as he twisted the cap off. He took a couple of long swigs, draining it almost halfway in three large gulps, before recapping it and shaking it again at Shiro. “Happy?”

Shiro paused, cocking his head slightly. “Did you even _put_ sunscreen on?”

“Jesus Christ _—_ ” Keith rolled his eyes, shoving him away by the face while Shiro’s façade finally broke, laughing deeply. _“Yes,_ I did. What are you, my mother? _”_

On cue, Krolia lifted her head from Keith’s other side, pulling a headphone from her ear and shooting him an inquisitive glance. She had a huge, floppy sun hat on courtesy of Lance’s mother, shading her face as she lounged in a low-seated chair, flipping through a book with her toes buried in the sand.

She was reading _War and Peace_. It had been his father’s favorite.

“Keith?” she asked. “Did you need something?”

Shiro raised an eyebrow in amusement, and Keith lifted the half-full bottle to jam it against the nape of his neck. The older man yelped and squirmed hastily out of Keith’s reach, away from the cold, a look of betrayal in his eyes.

Satisfied and cracking a triumphant smile, Keith turned back to Krolia. “Sorry,” he apologized. “I’m fine, just giving Shiro a hard time. How’s the book?”

She offered him a slight smile, marking her page with a finger and folding the book shut to regard the cover. “It speaks very highly of the power of human wisdom,” she told him, and raised her eyebrows, “but from what I’ve observed, both then and now, humans… don’t seem to be all that wise, do they?” Her eyes flicked back towards them, light and almost teasing. “No offense.”

Keith snorted, and Shiro shook his head. “None taken,” the captain assured. “And trust me, you’re not exactly _wrong_.”

Krolia smiled at that. “Though I will say,” she continued, and looked back out towards the water, “what the human race lacks in wisdom, your planet more than makes up for with beaches.”

Something warm, something unrelated to the heat of the sun, unfurled in Keith’s chest—an unknown tightness leaking away. “Yeah?” he asked. “You like it?”

“It’s beautiful,” Krolia affirmed, and Keith felt his own lips twitch into a smile. It _was_ beautiful, after all—waters clear and blue, the sand pale and soft, with towering palm trees and gently foaming waves and a warm, soft breeze against his skin. There was no questioning it’s beauty. The fact that Krolia thought so, as well, made something settle in his bones.

 “I can’t believe you were on Earth for almost three years and Dad never took you to see anything but the desert,” he told her, shaking his head.

“I liked the desert,” Krolia defended, looking towards Keith again. “Your father and I had many fond memories of the desert.”

Keith rolled his eyes. “Well— _sure_ ,” he acknowledged, _he’d seen most of them firsthand_ , traumatizingly enough, “but there are so many places on Earth that he could’ve shown you, outside of—y’know. Dirt. And scorpions. And saguaro.”

Krolia was quiet for a moment, then, and brought her gaze back to the water. “Well,” she said finally, softly. “Now I get to see them with you, which is all the better.”

That warmth that had unfurled in his chest spread further. He swallowed back the sudden lump in his throat. “Yeah,” he agreed softly, feeling… incredibly grateful.

Krolia looked at him again, smiling for a moment before it slowly faded away. She tilted her head slightly. “You’re turning pink,” she observed, frowning. “Did you put sunscreen on?”

And—moment ruined.

Keith closed his eyes with a groan and a muttered “oh my god” while Shiro, on his other side, once again began to chuckle.

 “No, no, Krolia,” the ex-paladin corrected, “you have it all wrong. That’s not the sunburn, that’s the _pining_.”

“Pining?” Krolia parroted back, eyebrows shooting up and looking between the two of them.

Shiro grinned and nodded not-at-all-subtly towards the shoreline, where the other Paladins were wading waist-deep in the ocean playing chicken, Kosmo loping around them through the water. And _no,_ Keith’s gaze _didn’t_ stall to a halt, lingering on lean muscles flexed smoothly under dark, sun-warmed skin as Lance held Pidge up on his shoulders, adjusting and readjusting himself in a way that made his chest and shoulders and arms look even more defined and sharp, _thank you very much._

But.

_God._

The sound of their laughter drifted towards them, and Keith could clearly hear Lance taunting Allura and Hunk as he propelled himself and Pidge forward. Water kicked out and splashed all around them, and Allura and Pidge were grappling with each other from atop Lance and Hunk’s shoulders, and the jeers they threw at each other as they fought were cut with something childlike and carefree _._ And when Pidge finally, _somehow,_ managed to catch Allura off balance and Lance surged forward to trip up Hunk, Lance let out a whoop of laughter so full and bright as their opponents toppled over that Keith was sure he’d be content hearing nothing else for the rest of his existence.

He cleared his throat, looking back towards his mother.

His mother, who’s gaze only flicked between him and Lance for a beat longer before turning to Shiro and nodding, very seriously. “I understand.”

Shiro let out another laugh, and Keith dropped his face into his hands with another loud groan. “ _Oh my god.”_

There was a muffled sound from his side, like rummaging. When something cool nudged at his arm, he swatted it away, still hiding. Krolia laughed quietly. “ _Keith._ Take it.”

He begrudgingly lifted his head, squinting at her through the sun that was all-too-bright once more, before looking at the object she was prodding him with. He groaned, snatching the sunscreen tube from her hand. “Fine _._ ”

“Make sure to get your ears,” Krolia reminded him, “that was something your father always forgot, and I’m afraid you’ve inherited his—how does Pidge put it? _Ghostly_ complexion?”

Keith rolled his eyes as he squeezed a dime-sized drop into his hands. “Har har,” he deadpanned, and made a show out of applying small dollops of the lotion onto his ears and rubbing them in. “There. Happy now?”

Krolia tilted her head to the side, considering. “Doesn’t change their unfortunate shape, but…”

Shiro huffed out another laugh, and Keith spluttered in mock offense as he rubbed the remaining lotion between his hands. “You are my _mother_ ,” he accused, applying it to his rapidly-reddening shoulders, “you’re not supposed to _make fun of me_.”

 She arched an eyebrow at him. “So is it just the Red Paladin, then, that is allowed to tease? Because you desire him as a life-mate?”

Keith choked, a strangled noise arising from somewhere in the base of his throat. “ _Mom._ ”

“Use some of that sunscreen for your scar,” she ordered, unconcerned with the fact that Keith was _actually dying_. “If it gets any darker, one would think it’s a Galran marking.”

Keith groaned, _again,_ but obliged because—yeah, he’d definitely read somewhere that exposed scar tissue was especially susceptible to UV burns. He grumbled under his breath, unamused.

“Don’t look so pleased, Captain,” Krolia chastised, and Keith blinked at where she now scolded Shiro in his stead. “Come on, you too. Get to it.”

The satisfied look Shiro had sported earlier had vanished without a trace, and he blinked, wide-eyed. “I—what?”

“Sunscreen. Scars. All of them.”

“I don’t—”

“ _Now._ ”

“…Yes, ma’am.”

*******

 

“This is impossible,” Pidge muttered, straining to reach above her head to secure the rope in place. Unsuccessful, she rose up to her tip-toes, only to have the sand give way under her feet once again. She sank lower, fingers barely able to brush a quarter of the way up the net, let alone where the top drooped sadly. She groaned, loud and frustrated, throwing her hands down to her sides. “This. Is. _Impossible!”_

To her left, someone laughed in amusement, and she spun to level a glare at them. “Not _funny_ , Hunk.”

Hunk, the gentle giant that he was, just grinned good-naturedly as he approached. “Need some help?”

“ _No,_ ” she insisted, turning back to the net. “I’ve _got it,_ I just—I just need—”

“—to be like, a foot taller?”

She flapped a hand at him as he got closer, dismissing his presence, before once again lifting her arms to strain for the rope she was assigned to tie. Narrowing her eyes at it, she bent her knees slightly and made a jump for it, but her fingers closed around empty air. She tried again, grunting, putting more power into the jump.

What she wouldn’t do for her jetpack, right about now.

On the third jump, her fingers brushed against the cursed rope, just barely, but enough for her to get a grip on it. She landed back down on her feet, a soft _thump_ against the sand, and brandished it at Hunk. “See?” she bragged, “I _told_ you I could get it!”

Hunk was still grinning, looking at her with amusement in his eyes as he nodded to the top of the net. “Now all you have to do is tie it high enough on the pole to keep the net tight,” he tasked, and Pidge blinked, triumphant smirk vanishing. “The third rung from the top should be good.”

She glanced up once more, taking stock of how high Hunk had tied his end up, and cursing beach volleyball nets for being so _horrible._

Why did the universe hate her?

“Damn it _._ ”

 

*******

 

“I’ve got it!” Lance chirped, clapped his hands together and grinning. “Humans versus aliens!”

They’d been debating on how to split up teams for nearly twenty minutes, now, and had gotten… pretty much nowhere. Because Pidge and Hunk wanted to be together— _“to offset the height difference, obviously”_ —and Lance wanted to be with Hunk— _“he’s my_ soulmate _, and the only volleyball partner I’ve ever trusted”_ —and Lance also wanted Shiro on his team— _“he has a floating arm_ , _you guys—the other team won’t be able to get a spike off us!”_ —but Keith wanted to be on Shiro’s team— _“to use his arm as a springboard to get the higher volleys”_ —and Allura wanted to be on Lance’s team— _“he has the most experience, it makes the most strategic sense”_ —and Romelle wanted to be with Allura— _“no, er, particular… reason…”—_ and Lance wanted to be with Keith— _“also, um, no particular reason?”_ —and they were, for better or worse, at a total stalemate.

“Uh,” Hunk said, shifting on his feet, “I… foresee issues, with that configuration? Humans versus aliens?”

Lance frowned, bubble burst. “Like?”

Hunk winced, looking apologetic. “Well, the Alteans don’t really know how to play, so I’m not sure it’s fair to stick them all on the same team.”

“But,” Pidge countered, “they’re significantly stronger than we are, so they’ll probably just wipe the floor with us, even if they don’t know what they’re doing. Which… would also be an issue.”

“Um.” Keith slowly raised a hand. “Just—quick question? Which team would that put me on? Humans or aliens?” He paused, squinting and tilting his head. “Is this speciest? Is that a thing?”

Shiro, in a similar manner, also lifted a hand. “Technically this body I’m wearing was, uh. Synthetically grown in an alien factory, lightyears away, in deep space…”

Lance groaned, loud and dramatic, flinging himself down to the sand.

 

*******

 

For the record, Team Alien only won because they had _stupid Keith Kogane_ on their side.

Like, _sure,_ the Alteans caught on quick enough to be challenging opponents, but it was Keith’s reflexes and speed and sheer _competitiveness_ that really ended up sealing the deal.

“We could’ve had Keith on our team,” Pidge grumbled at Lance, pushing herself up on her elbows from where she’d properly face-planted into the sand. She shook her hair out, a small cloud of dust pluming out around her, grains of sand _plinking_ softly against her glasses on impact. “But _nooooo_. You needed a better vantage point to gawk at him from, and wanted Shiro’s useless floating arm on your side.”

Shiro, within hearing range, threw his hands up. “I _told you_ I’ve never played this before,” he squawked. “And I’m not great with the arm yet, okay? Punching stuff is fine—coordinating angles for bumps and volleys is harder.  I’m trying my best.”

Hunk patted his shoulder with a sympathetic smile. “You’re doing great, Shiro,” he assured, and it was reminiscent of consoling a huffy child. “Don’t listen to them.”

But Shiro’s indignation was audible across the line of the net, back to where Keith was high-fiving Coran and Romelle and Allura, because he looked over at them and raised an eyebrow. There was that stupid competitive gleam in his eyes that made Lance’s heart jump in his chest, and his hair was tied back at the nape of his neck, away from his face except for the forever rebellious fringe of his bangs that still fell into his eyes and stuck to his forehead and _Jesus,_ he was just _standing there,_ holding the volleyball under one arm and smirking, in swim trunks and literally nothing else _,_ all toned and flushed and muscular and sun-kissed and sweaty, and Lance was ninety-nine percent sure his heart was going to give out right then and there.

His gaze, more vibrantly violet in the bright sun than Lance was pretty sure it had ever been before, flickered between him and Shiro for a moment as he stepped closer. “You guys okay, over there?”

Unamused and dying, Lance crossed his arms, puffing out a breath. “ _You guys okay over there_ ,” he mocked back, brattishly.

Keith’s second eyebrow rose to join the first. Lance could’ve keeled over and died, right there, because— _quiznak,_ had Keith always looked like that? How could a guy that washes his face and hair and body all with the same product _look like that?_

“Do you want to…” Keith’s brows lowered, inquisitive and beautiful, “…keep playing?”

Stupid alien genetics. It was the only explanation. No mere mortal could actually _look like that._

Reading the situation perfectly, as per usual, Hunk clapped a hand to his shoulder. “Yeah,” he responded, because Lance’s voice was gone, gone, gone with his dignity. “You guys won—you start with the serve this time.”

Keith nodded once, concise as ever, before turning and retreating towards the back line. This time Lance did, actually, keel over a bit, watching those defined shoulders and the well-muscled lines of his back and those low-riding swim trunks retreat away, and Hunk put a hand on his shoulder to steady him.

“Subtle,” Hunk teased, and all Lance could do was sigh.

“He’s just,” he began, “he’s so…”

“I know, buddy,” his best friend soothed, directing him to his proper position with a gentle, guiding arm. “I know.”

 

*******

 

“Thanks so much for helping me with the sandwiches, dear. When Leandro mentioned bringing home his friends, I wasn’t quite expecting a small armada of _garbage disposals_ to show up at my door.”

Krolia smiled a bit, shaking off the freshly-washed lettuce into the sink before wrapping it in a towel and pressing it dry. “I am happy to help,” she assured, and glanced towards Rosa. “It was very kind of you to invite everyone over. They all seem to be enjoying themselves.”

Rosalina’s smile grew as she cut up the third tomato, eyes crinkling with a small laugh. “Oh, it’s nothing. I’m just happy to see my son in one piece.”

And—well, if Krolia couldn’t relate to anything else about this planet, she could definitely relate to _that._

Then, Rosa’s smile faded, just a little, and her eyes flicked downward again. “I worry, you know. They were gone for so long, so far away up in space, risking their lives, and now…” She sighed. “Well, now, even though they’re home, it’s like they’re still gone. Always working, you know. Having Leandro in my sights—him, his friends, teammates… makes it a little bit easier.”

Something tightened in Krolia’s chest. She nodded as she flipped the lettuce, drying the other side. “Their jobs certainly aren’t complete,” she agreed, and the words sat somberly on her tongue.

“They’re only kids,” Rosa murmured, and her hands stilled, knife halfway through cutting the next slice of tomato. “Don’t misunderstand, I am… so proud, of them. But they’re _children_. They shouldn’t have to handle this on their own. I have half a mind to superglue myself to his side, just to keep him here with me and safe.”

Krolia hummed, that weird lurching still present in her chest, but she tilted her head slightly as she began to chop up the lettuce. “They are… capable.” She felt Rosa’s eyes lift to her again, and she cast her a reassuring glance. “They are young, yes, but… they are strong. They are capable, and they have committed to keeping each other safe. And they are certainly not on their own. If I can offer you no other consolation, I can assure you of that.”

Rosa watched her for a moment, taking in her words, before taking in a long breath and exhaling slowly. She nodded slightly, dropping her gaze back down and continuing to work.

“Keith,” she began after a moment, “has grown a lot, since the last time I’ve seen him.”

It was Krolia’s turn to freeze, hands stalling as she glanced up curiously. “You knew my son?”

Rosa smiled a little, offering a half-shrug. “I knew _of_ him,” she corrected. “Mostly through school yearbooks. When they attended the Garrison together, little Leandro would always come home raving about him.” She lowered her voice conspiratorially. “Don’t let him know I told you this,” she whispered, “but I think he used to have a little bit of a crush on Keith, the way he would talk about him.”

Krolia’s lips twitched. “Is that so?”

Rosa nodded, finishing up the tomato and starting to assemble the sandwiches. “Oh, yes. We used to tease him about it, and his cheeks would get so pink. It was very fun.”

Krolia nodded. “I can imagine.”

“There is one—” Rosa cut herself off, chucking quietly as she shook her head. “There is one yearbook, where I remember Leandro cut out any picture that had Keith in it. He said it was because they were ‘rivals,’” she lifted one hand to put air quotes around the word, “and didn’t want to see his face, but I found the photos a few months later in a scrapbook he was making for his time in his flight-prep classes. It was quite cute, if you’d like to see—I think I still have the book lying around somewhere… A whole page dedicated to their rivalry, if you can believe it… ”

Krolia’s breath caught in her throat at the prospect. She’d missed watching Keith grow up—even the snapshots she’d gotten from the time rift had been abysmal at best. Did Rosa really have… were there really pictures of him, growing up, that still existed on Earth? Pictures of her son, whom she’s only ever known as the grown, capable man he is today?

She took a tight breath in through her nose and nodded, priding herself on her ability to keep herself steady. She was an elite, trained agent of Marmora, after all—mental discipline and emotional disconnect were vital to any successful mission. She’d certainly had enough practice, in that regard. 

“That would be nice,” she agreed finally.

But maybe it wasn’t as steady as she had thought, because Rosa looked up from her sandwiches to glance her way, expression softening into something understanding and sympathetic. 

“It was… torture,” Rosa said quietly, shaking her head, “to not know where my boy was. When he was gone—” her voice hitched, and she smiled a little, wobbly. “—words can’t even describe it. There’s nothing in this world, or any other, that can convey that type of hurt. I can’t imagine living with that for even another day, let alone years on end.”

Krolia took another breath, offered her a tight smile before turning back to the lettuce. “I have found comfort,” she assured, “in knowing I did what was best by him. In order to keep him safe.” She put the knife down, beginning to add the lettuce to the sandwiches assembly-line style.  As she did, her voice grew soft. “It hurt. But I would take on all the pain in the universe for him, if I had to. In less than a heartbeat.”

From the edge of her vision, she could see Rosa smile a little. “Spoken like every good mom in the galaxy.”

The thought brought a smile to Krolia’s lips, despite her efforts to stifle it.

 

*******

 

“Tío Leo, you _need_ to stay. It’s _spa night.”_

Lance sighed, arms folding around the girl in his lap, squeezing her tight. “I know, mi vida,” he apologized, “pero nos vamos a trabajar por la mañana… no se puedo.” He rested his chin on her shoulder as she slumped against him. “Lo siento, nena, please don’t hate me.”

Nadia sighed, letting her head flop back against him, smushing her cheek into his. “Just—just _one night,_ Tio? Pretty please? You guys can leave right in the morning, like, like—5AM, or something. Earlier. I don’t care.”

Again, Lance sighed, holding her closer and pecking a kiss to her cheek. “Nadia, I told you. We have to go back to work.”

“I hate your work,” she complained, and squirmed out of his grasp to turn and glare at him. “You _left_ and now even though you’re _back_ you can’t even come _home_.”

Though the words were said with all the childlike dramatics that her small body could muster, Nadia’s words felt like knives to Lance’s chest. His breath hitched. “Nads…”

She crossed her arms over her chest, lifting her chin slightly and leveling him with steely eyes. “ _Alejandro.”_

Lance sighed, because _wow,_ if she wasn’t his mother’s granddaughter…. “Mija, I—I _can’t,”_ he lamented, “I’m so sorry. But you know—you know that what I do, what my friends and I do for work, it’s… it’s to keep you safe. Right? To keep you and Sylvio and your parents and your abuelitos safe?”

Nadia held his gaze for a tick, and then another, before her resolve visibly faltered. Her arms fell to her sides and her expression melted as she ducked her head. She shuffled back towards him, and he eagerly accepted her back into his lap, wrapping himself around her once more and holding her close.

“Lo sé,” she mumbled into his neck, and small fingers curled into the fabric of his shirt. “I just—I just miss you. That’s all.”

Lance was grateful, then, that Nadia’s face was buried in him, because he wasn’t sure he’d be able to stop that prickle behind his eyes if he tried. “I miss you too, chiquita. More than you could ever, _ever_ know.”

 

*******

 

“We should stay overnight.”

Lance blinked up at Shiro, sandwich falling from his fingers back down to his plate, disassembled and deconstructed, but it didn’t matter because… _what?_

“What?”

Shiro nodded, a small smile suppressed on his lips despite the way he scratched at the back of his neck. “Uh—yeah. So. Your mother suggested it? And I think we should.”

Lance blinked again, shifting his gaze from Shiro to Hunk to Pidge and back to Shiro. “We… I’m so lost. We’re staying?”

Shiro shrugged a little. “Why not? It’s not like we’d be working overnight anyways, if we went back. So long as we’re at base in time for the Coalition meeting in the morning, I’m okay with it.”

“We’re seriously… staying.”

“Unless you don’t want to?”

Lance shot up out of his seat. His plate dislodged from his lap, lettuce and tomato and chicken flung to the sand. “I want to!”

Shiro eyed him, half-knowing and half-amused, and gave a slight nod. “Well… alright then.”

“Nadia!” Lance called, before turning on his heels and racing towards the house. “Nadia, get the face masks ready! _Nadia get the foot bath out—”_

*******

 

2:02PM

 **pidgeotto** —> _Touristpalooza_

 

 **pidgeotto** : while you guys are at the store can you see if they have SPF 9000 for my nose

 **pidgeotto** : I think it might actually fall off pretty soon

 **pidgeotto** : and then I’ll have no nose and I won’t be able to smell or taste Hunk’s cooking and he’ll be so sad, and it’ll be all Lance’s fault

 **fancypants** : white ppl, amirite

 **hunkofmylife** : ^^

 **Space Dad(TM)** : ^^

 **Princess** : ^^

 **bitterboi** : ^^

 **pidgeotto** : Keithy-pal, I hate to break it to you, but,,,,,, you are a white people too

 **bitterboi** : only kind of? my dad was half Japanese

 **bitterboi** : so I’m only, like, a quarter white people

 **pidgeotto** : you don’t look like you’re a quarter Japanese?

 **bitterboi** : I don’t look like I’m half purple alien either, but here we are

 **pidgeotto** : touché

 **pidgeotto** : also wtf do you mean, lance “white ppl, amirite”

 **pidgeotto** : poc??? should also????? wear sunscreen?????? @ all y’all

 **pidgeotto** : skin cancer and UV damage aren’t exclusive to us ghostly caucasian folk

 **fancypants** : I meant it more in a general sense for the meme, but ur not wrong

 **pidgeotto** : I know I’m not

 **pidgeotto** : anyways yes please get me something to save my nose, it’s really struggling

 **fancypants** : roger that

 **pidgeotto** : also a raspberry lime rickey pls

 **pidgeotto** : <3

 **fancypants** : pidgey I will get u anything ur lil heart desires if u keep sending me ur small gremlin love

 **pidgeotto** : <3 <3 <3

 **fancypants** : stop my hEART CANT HANDLE IT

 **pidgeotto** : <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <33333333

 **facnypants** : rip me, cause of death: overdosed on rare and cherished pidge affection

 **fancypants:** pls don’t let her cry at my funeral or I will rise from the dead literally just to die again

 **fancypants** : no sad gremlins allowed in this household

 **hunkofmylife** : #protectpidge2kwhatever

** **fancypants** changed the group name from _Touristpalooza_ to _Gremlin Protection Squad**_

 **pidgeotto** : I approve

 **pidgeotto** : also yeah for real, what year is it? does anybody know?

 

*******

 

“Allura? Allura, what’s the matter?”

Allura pressed a hand over her mouth, shutting her eyes tightly as she took in a ragged breath. “I’m—I’m sorry,” she hiccupped, shaking her head, and before Lance knew it she was straightening, wiping her cheeks dry and composing herself—or at least _attempting to—_ once more. The crashing of the waves against the jetty, once comforting and safe, sounded like a storm warning. “I didn’t mean…”

“Allura,” Lance murmured, drawing closer and pulling her into his arms. He could feel Hunk and Pidge at one side, Shiro and Keith at the other, all looking on with concern and sympathy for their friend.

“Allura,” he said again, gently, smoothing down her hair as she pressed her forehead into his shoulder, trembling. Her hair was bright, vibrant in the sunlight, glittering like freshly fallen snow under the sun’s rays, curled from saltwater and alien and beautiful. Another shuddering breath worked its way out of her, shaking her frame in his arms as it rushed out through rattling teeth. “Hey,” he soothed, “hey, Allura. Princess, what’s going on?”

“I’m sorry,” she got out again, strained and thick. She shook her head against him. “I’m sorry for—for ruining your fun. This is supposed to be vacation, I’m sorry, I never meant…”

“Hey,” another voice spoke, so soft, so gentle, and Keith stepped closer. “Allura, you haven’t ruined anything. Just tell us what’s going on, okay? We want to help.”

Allura shook, again, and Lance didn’t want to let her go. But she pulled away so he released his hold, every fiber of his being protesting against the action.

She shook her head. Sniffled. Wiped her face dry with the heels of her hands, and in that moment, she was neither paladin nor princess. Just a girl who was terribly, terribly sad. She made a valiant effort of holding herself steady as her gaze drifted over the team, but there was a tremor in her chin and a tightness in the corners of her mouth as she fought it off, and her eyes—those big, beautiful kaleidoscope eyes—were swimming, ringed in pink.

“It’s just that,” she began, shaky, and more tears spilled over. That tightness in her mouth pulled taut and her entire expression wavered, crumbled before their eyes, before being rebuilt the next instant. Just a hiccup in her composure. “It’s just that… being here,” she tried again, and the words came out so quiet, so pained, “being here has reminded me of—of Altea, in so many ways, and I just…”

Something twisted in Lance’s gut, tightened in his chest, stabbed at the inside of his lungs until he lost all of his air. “Oh, Allura…”

She wrapped her arms around her torso, ducking her head and letting her shoulders shake, face hidden from view. “I—I miss my planet,” she managed, barely a whisper, voice rough and broken as she cried. “And I miss my people. And I am… s-so grateful, for you all, for having you, and _being here,_ but I don’t—I just—”

“You just want to go home,” Keith finished for her, and Allura let out a hitched breath, hunching further over herself as she nodded, once again pressing a hand to her mouth in an effort to stifle a sob.

Pidge was the first to reach her, smaller than the rest but steady to a fault, anchoring herself by Allura’s side as the princess’ knees gave way and she sank down to the sun-warmed sand. She caught Allura around the waist as she crumbled, settling down beside her, steadying her, holding on as the tears came abound, as the sobs wracked her shoulders.

Shiro was next. He crouched down low, settled on his knees beside her, placed his human hand to her back and made small circles with his thumb in a meager attempt at comfort. “It’s okay to grieve, Allura,” he assured her gently, and Lance was dumbstruck because he’d never seen her like this before. “You’ve pushed it all away for such a long time, but you’ve… you’ve _suffered_. You’ve lost more than any of us will ever understand. You’re allowed to grieve.”

“A-and I just keep _thinking_ ,” Allura was saying then, through her tears as if Shiro hadn’t spoken, thick and uneven and raw, “about how the same could’ve happened here, to your planet, your beautiful planet—and it would’ve been _my fault_.”

“Whoa,” Hunk eased, kneeling down as well and, mechanically, Lance registered him and Keith following in turn, though the action was numb and distant. “Hey, Allura. It wouldn’t have been your fault. Not at all. Where’d you get that idea?”

Allura sniffed thickly, once again attempting to dry her face with her hands but still refusing to look up. “My—my _father,_ ” she insisted, “he sent the Blue Lion here, that’s why the Galra—all this _destruction—”_

“Allura,” Keith cut her off, “the Galra would’ve made it here regardless of anything you could’ve done. They wouldn’t have stopped until they’d taken total control—you _know_ that.”

She shrank into herself. “I don’t—I don’t know anything _._ ”

“Allura,” Lance added, his voice airy and uneven, “if your father hadn’t sent the Blue Lion here, we never would’ve become paladins in the first place. You and Coran would still be in stasis, the Empire would still be conquering, and Voltron would’ve been missing for another ten thousand years, for all we know.”

At her side, Pidge nodded adamantly. “Yeah,” she agreed, jumping on board. “Lance and Hunk and I would’ve probably gone on to separate training tracks, by now, too, for our respective ranks at the Garrison. We’d never be the kind of team we are today—not to mention friends with Keith and Shiro.”

There were fresh tears glistening in Allura’s eyes at that, now, and she shook her head, either not wanting to believe it, or rejecting the comfort she didn’t feel she deserved. “It’s not—it’s not the _same,_ ” she insisted, “you could’ve lived your lives out in safety, you could’ve—your _planet_ wouldn’t have—you wouldn’t have suffered so much—”

Keith shifted forward. “If your father hadn’t sent the Blue Lion to Earth,” he told her, steady and gentle, “I wouldn’t even _exist,_ Allura.”

Allura’s gaze shifted to his and she swallowed. “I… what?”

Keith nodded, frowning in concern. “The only reason my mother ended up on Earth was to protect the Blue Lion from the Empire. If your father had never sent her here, Krolia never would’ve crashed down, and I wouldn’t exist.”

Allura’s lips pressed tightly together as she took his words in, eyes wavering and hands trembling as her fingers curled into the fabric of her sundress. “I… hadn’t known that,” she admitted quietly, and shut her eyes, shaking her head.

“I’d still be sick.” Shiro’s voice was soft, and honest, but it was a point that forced Allura to look up again, breath uneven and cheeks wet but _attentive._ Listening, and worried. Shiro merely offered a small sigh, brows furrowing. “I had a… degenerative disease. In my muscles. Before Voltron, I was looking at four, maybe five good years left before...”

Something, some emotion Lance couldn’t put words to, shuttered across her face. “I—Shiro, I didn’t know.”

Shiro smiled weakly. “Most people don’t,” he admitted. “But if Sendak hadn’t been so close to Earth, if he hadn’t captured me and handed me off to Haggar? I’d still be sick.”

A soft hiccupping sound came from Allura, then, and she once again brought a hand to her face to wipe it dry. “You’re all too good to me,” she told them, half-laughing, half-crying. “I just—I apologize. I believe this whole trip has just made me…” she took a breath, shuddering and uneven. “…emotional. And terribly homesick. Seeing you all with your families…”

Lance shifted closer, ducking his head forward to try and catch her eyes. “Allura,” he murmured, and shook his head. “Allura, we’ll never be able to replace your planet, or your people, and we would never want to. But you’re a part of this family, too—you have a home here, with us. I know it’s not the same, but we’re _here for you._ Okay?”

She sniffled, offering a wobbly, watery smile. “I know. I am… very grateful, for that.” She reached out, grasping one of Hunk’s hands in her own. “For you all.”

“We’re grateful for you too, Princess,” Keith assured her, and when Lance looked to him, there was something rare and vulnerable shining through his expression, but something steady and sure, as well—something that Lance was beginning to recognize as Keith’s newfound Leader Mode. “You brought this team together. It’s…” A slight pause. “It’s easy to push people away when you’re hurting, but you never did that. You brought us together as a team, as friends, despite all that hurt.”

Fresh tears sprung to Allura’s eyes and she pressed her lips tight, jaw trembling once more.

Keith’s gaze softened and he shifted forward, putting a hand on her shoulder. “Allura, you’re one of the strongest people I know, and I think I can speak for everyone when I say we have your back. Always.”

She sniffled, covering his hand with her free one. “I can’t believe I ever mistrusted you,” she lamented quietly, regretful. “Keith, I know I’ve said this before, but I truly am very sorry. The way I treated you…”

Keith shook his head, dismissing her words. “You know I never blamed you for that.”

“Still,” she insisted, and squeezed his hand. Her watery gaze flicked to the rest of the team, gathered in close. “I hope you all realize how dear you are to me. It’s true that I—I _am_ hurting _._ I’m sad for my parents, and my people, but… I sincerely do consider you all as family.”

At Lance’s side, Hunk sniffled loudly. “Can this—can this be group hug time, now? Because I’m seriously about to cry. Can we group hug?”

Tears finally spilling over, Allura nodded.  “I think,” she got out, half-laughing and half-crying once more, “I think I’d like that very much.”

Unsurprisingly, Hunk was the first to wrap her up in his large, strong arms, but then everyone was pressing close and holding on, as well.

They didn’t let go until Allura’s shoulders stopped shaking.

*******

 

It was a small motion, that caught his attention—just from the corner of his eyes, he saw two dark figures retreat slightly—but it was enough to send out red alarms in his head.

Lance observed as Krolia leaned in a bit closer to Keith, murmuring something quietly. Keith’s brow furrowed as he listened, and he pressed his lips together tightly before offering a small nod and responding, just as quietly. Lance couldn’t distinguish the words until a moment later, when Krolia leaned away again and sighed, heavy and grey. “I wish I didn’t need to—”

“It’s alright,” Keith cut her off, and offered her a tired smile. “Krolia, we’ve talked about this. Really. I’ll be back at the Garrison in the morning to see you off, okay?”

As if mimicking her son’s expression, she, too, pressed her lips together closely. “I don’t like this.”

“It’s the job,” Keith reminded her. “Not much we can do about it.”

And then Krolia stepped closer, murmuring something into Keith’s hair as she folded him into her arms, and Lance quickly turned away, feeling like an intruder. He didn’t turn back until Krolia was walking away, taking the small trail through the trees back towards the McClain household.

His gaze flicked from where she disappeared into the brush back to Keith, who had a frown on his face, a small crease between his brows shadowing unreadable eyes that had watched her go.

Lance wanted to go up to him, wanted to go check in and see what was wrong, what was happening—

—but Hunk, at his side, was bellowing out a huge laugh at something Pidge had said, and his hands were caked with thick, silt-like sand, and he felt bad abandoning his fellow architects halfway through building their sand-model Castle of Lions so meticulously.

He returned his attention to his two best friends, catching the tail end of Pidge’s joke and huffing a laugh, as well, no matter how forced.

Out of the corner of his eye, he watched Keith take up Krolia’s abandoned seat. Shiro had turned in already, as had the Alteans and the MFEs, so he was alone on the wide stretch of sand. Seeing him there, by himself in the shadows of looming dusk, made something distinctly sad twinge in Lance’s chest. 

He watched as Keith set Krolia’s book aside and turned his gaze to the horizon, just as the sun began to set.

 

*******

 

Keith was spacing out, mind wandering as he watched the sky shift through shades of pinks and reds and oranges, when he noticed Lance’s less-than-leisurely approach.

Pulling to a stop, Lance huffed out a breath, hands on his hips and—wow, how had Keith not realized how slim Lance’s waist was before?

Because it was. It was slim, and there was a nice little V cut accentuating that fact and disappearing down the band of his floral blue swim trunks, and there was saltwater still trailing down the soft outline of toned abs that Keith suddenly got a very unwelcome urge to _lick away_ —

“Why do you look so angry, mullet?”

Keith thanked the ancients for the gift of his sunburn, hiding the flush he knew would otherwise betray him, and raised an eyebrow. “It’s genetic,” he responded, hoping to keep his tone dry.

It seemed to work, because the other paladin let out a snort before melting into the chair beside him. A moment passed, just a few ticks, where neither spoke, and Keith soaked in the comfortable comradery like the dwindling sunlight they were bathed in.  Trying to get his heartrate to _chill the hell out._

Finally Lance spoke, and though he’d been laughing just a second ago, his voice was oddly solemn. “Is everything okay?”

Keith furrowed his brow, drawing his gaze away from the shoreline to regard Lance suspiciously. “Yeah. Why?”

Lance shrugged, glancing down as he wiggled his toes, burying his feet in the sand. “Dunno. Saw you talking to your mom, and you got that scowl on your face again when she went back to the house.” He lifted a hand and prodded at the scrunched-up spot between Keith’s eyebrows, smoothing it away with his thumb like it was the most casual gesture in the world. “Gotta be careful, man. Your face is gonna freeze like that one of these days. You’ll have wrinkles by twenty-five.”

Though Lance had drawn his hand back, the ghost of his fingers on Keith’s skin sent a rush of warmth through Keith’s chest. And though there was that familiar, teasing lilt to his voice, there was also a touch of genuine concern in Lance’s eyes as he spoke.

Keith huffed a short laugh, forcing some of the tension to leave his shoulders, hoping to play it off. “Alright,” he acknowledged, good-naturedly. “Point taken.”

Lance smiled a little in turn, hesitating. Then he bumped Keith in the shoulder with his own. “So. What happened?”

Keith sighed, leaning back into the chair once more and brushing sweat-slick hair from his forehead. “Kolivan called her in,” he said. “His unit nearly made it to Olkarion, but there’s evidence of Galran occupation there already. Didn’t want to land without backup. Krolia’s going to take Acxa and the Blades still on Earth out to assist. A few rebels, too, I think. She needed to go back to the Garrison to help prep their pods.”

Lance straightened a little in his seat, and Keith hated the way the levity in Lance’s expression vanished on a dime. “She’s leaving?”

“In the morning, yeah.”

Lance’s lips tightened at that, displeased and concerned, but Keith knew it was less about her vacation being cutting short and more about the fact that she was leaving Earth. Again. Without him.

Keith offered a weak smile, so similar to the one he’d shared with Krolia only moments ago. “She’ll be back, Lance. It’s okay.”

And Lance just held Keith’s gaze for a moment, his brown eyes almost amber under the glint of the sun. Slowly, unsure and skeptical, he nodded. A gesture of acceptance, perhaps, or of acknowledging Keith’s acceptance, though the slight downturn at the corners of his lips gave away his own discontent.

Another stretch of time passed in silence, and gradually, Lance settled back into his seat. For a while, Keith thought that that would be it—that was all Lance had wanted to talk to him about, and soon enough he’d just spring out of his seat to go back to sprawling all over Hunk and Pidge while they griped at him about the structural integrity of the sand Castle he was jeopardizing—

“Can I ask you something kinda personal?”

Keith blinked. Looked at Lance again. Lance, who had placed his focus on Keith once more, more serious and seeming almost— _hesitant_?—as he tapped his fingers along the arms of the beach chair. Toes still wiggling, still buried under the sand _._

Keith raised his eyebrows, once again grateful for his impeccable sunburning abilities. “If you must.”

That almost got Lance to smile again. Keith could see it in the tightening of his lips, in the way he narrowed his eyes as if trying not to roll them, in the way in the way the nervousness melted away in place of something more open and familiar, and Keith took that as a small victory.

Despite the success, however, Lance still dropped his gaze before speaking. “How come… how come sometimes she’s Krolia, and sometimes she’s Mom?”

And maybe it was the way the light was reflecting off of his soft, still-wet skin _,_ or the way that his sunshine-warmed arm was so close to Keith’s, or the way that those freckles spattered across his cheeks and the bridge of his nose and on the tops of his shoulders were more beautiful than any constellation he’s ever seen, but Keith’s brain stalled to a halt, only half-hearing the question and startled nonetheless. 

_How come sometimes she’s Krolia, and sometimes she’s—_

He opened and closed his mouth, and after a beat of silence, Lance looked up expectantly. “I—” Keith finally got out, under his gaze, frowning, “—what?”

“I don’t know,” Lance admitted, shrugging sheepishly. “I just. Sometimes you call Krolia by her name, and sometimes you call her ‘Mom’. Not just to us, but—to her face, too. I was just wondering if there was a reason why.”

Keith wasn’t sure if it was a testament to his current state of being—simultaneously the most relaxed and the most nervous he’s been, maybe _ever_ —or the fact that it was Lance asking, but he considered the question, when in almost any other circumstance he was certain he would’ve shut it down immediately.

“I guess,” he began, not really sure what he was about to say, “I guess sometimes I forget.”

From the edge of his vision, he could see Lance’s eyebrows shoot up. “You forget?”

Keith nodded, letting out a stream of air. “Yeah.”

“Forget what? Forget that she’s your mother?”

“No,” Keith denied, wincing slightly and shaking his head, “just that she’s… here. You’d think I’d get over it, after over two years together, but. I’m not used to it, so I think sometimes I forget.”

Lance made a small _hmmm_ ing noise at that, and Keith dropped his gaze slightly, to the loose thread at the hem of his trunks he hadn’t realized he’d been picking at.

“I mean—” he continued, quieter, “—sometimes I just can’t, either.”

Lance still didn’t say anything, but nodded his head as he listened, eyes attentive and kind. Waiting for him to go on, to elaborate, but not pushing, either.

Keith swallowed, feeling his brow furrow. “At first it was because she—” _left me,_ his mind supplied cruelly, and his voice choked shut. _She was gone,_ _she wasn’t_ _there, she wasn’t my mother_ **.** He pressed his lips together, restraining the ancient, resentful thoughts. It had been a long time since he’d last felt that little ember of anger at his mother’s leaving.

Plus, it was easier, to call her Krolia. He wouldn’t get as _attached_ if he called her Krolia. Not that he was ready to say that out loud.

He shook his head slightly. “We didn’t… know each other. She was just this stranger I got trapped with. I guess sometimes it’s easier to pretend like she still is.”

Lance didn’t press any further, just hummed lightly and bobbed his head into a nod, accepting Keith’s response as-is and remaining at his side. Once again Keith half-expected him to return to his place with Hunk and Pidge, now that his curiosity had been quenched, and once again, Lance surprised him.

He stayed with Keith to watch the sunset, and even after Hunk and Pidge had turned in for the night, he stayed a little bit longer.

Keith tried to focus on the tales Lance began to tell, family stories of his parents and siblings and cousins on this very beach where they now sat, but all he could see was the moonlight reflected in his eyes.

 

*******

 

“That gunk,” Keith ground out, very calmly and very patiently, “is not going anywhere near my face _._ ”

Lance elbowed Pidge in the side. “Do the thing.”

“Do _not_ do the thing—”

“I’m doing the thing—”

“— _Pidge I swear to God—”_

“Do it! Pidge!”

“He won’t—stop—squirming—hey, no running! God, why is he so _strong?_ ”

“Kosmo! Here, boy!”

“Kosmo’s all the way back at the Garrison with Krolia, he’s not going to—”

“ _Did Kosmo really just—_ mullet, what kind of freaky monstrosity did you adopt—”

“—Keith, don’t you dare—”

“—such a good boy, buddy, now just—just keep me away from that green goop, okay? Can you do that?”

“—that’s so cheating—”

“—you’re so dead, mullet—”

“—Kosmo! No, no wait—Hunk, stop it, go back, Kosmo’s gonna—”

“—the… the  _picadillo!_ _”_

“The perfect distraction! Get him!”

“What—no, no, Kosmo, buddy, c’mon—”

“—Hunk, get his other side—”

“—on it!”

“—what—oh, no, shit, fu—”

“Ha ha! Victory,” Lance sang, using his elbow and his entire bodyweight to pin Keith to the floor, while Hunk held down his legs, “is so, so sweet. Pidge, if you’d care to do the honors?”

Pidge knelt down beside the struggling trio, a devilish grin on her lips as she brought goop-coated fingers towards Keith’s face. “With pleasure.”

 

*******

 

That night, after they'd all piled into the guest room and settled down to sleep, Lance poked at Keith's ribs with his toes. 

"Admit it. You loved it."

"Shh. Sleeping."

Lance reached a hand down, blindly feeling for Keith's face. "Your skin is so  _smooth_ now, mullet."

"I hate you."

"No you don't."

"...No. I don't."

Lance hummed happily, running his fingers through Keith's surprisingly soft hair until they both fell asleep, the pillows under his head smelling like home _._


End file.
